Maim  LttkAGfflC,    DEPT, 


Nitrate  of  Soda 

For  Profit  With 

Sugar- Beets 


Maercker 
With  Supplements 

by 
Danielson 

Colorado  Experiment  Station. 


EDITED  AND  PUBLISHED  BY 

WILLIAM  S.  MYERS,  Director, 

Nitrate  of  Soda  Propaganda. 

Late  Professor  in  Chemistry  la  the  State  Agricultural  College  of  New  Jersey. 
JOHN   STREET  AND  71  NASSAU,  NEW  YORK. 


THE  Nitrate  Propaganda  is  not  engaged  in  the 
Sale  of  Nitrate  of  Soda  but  will  furnish  a  list  of 
dealers  to  all  who  apply  for  it* 

It  should  be  remembered  that  the  original  package  of 
Nitrate  cf  Soda  contains  approximately  200  Ibs*  of  normally 
dry  Nitrate  of  Soda* 

Nitrate  of  Soda  is  generally  sold  in  the  original  pack- 
ages and  should  be  stored  or  kept  in  a  dry  place*  Glass 
Works  and  Manufacturers  of  Dynamite  and  Gunpowder 
usually  have  Nitrate  on  hand* 

If  you  have  any  difficulty  in  obtaining  Nitrate,  either 
by  reason  of  prohibitive  prices  or  undue  delays  or  on 
account  of  inability  of  dealers  to  supply  you  promptly,  let 
me  know  at  once,  and  the  difficulty  will  be  investigated 
immediately. 

Correspondence  concerning  excessive  freight  charges 
is  invited.  Nitrate  is  sometimes  discriminated  against  by 
the  Transportation  Companies  by  charging  a  chemical  rate 
instead  of  a  fertilizer  rate;  please  secure  and  forward  all  the 
facts,  including  Freight  Receipts* 

When  ordering  Nitrate,  please  be  sure  to  request  your 
Dealer,  Manufacturer  or  Importer  to  have  your  invoice 
clearly  and  distinctly  marked  as  "  Fertilizer."  This  is 
necessary  that  this  valuable  Farm  Chemical  may  be 
properly  classified  in  order  to  avoid  the  discrimination 
practised  by  the  Railroads  against  Nitrate. 

WILLIAM  S.  MYERS,  Director 

NITRATE  PROPAGANDA 
John  Street  and  71  Nassau,  New  York 


NITRATE   OF  SODA 

FOR    PROFIT  WITH 

SUGAR-BEETS 

By  Maercker 
With  Supplements 

By  Danielson, 
of  the  Colorado  Experiment  Station 

BULLETINS    OF    U.    S.    EXPERIMENT 
STATIONS 

Abstract  of  Bulletin  No.  115 

of  the  Colorado  Station 

By  Danielson. 


Edited  and  Published  by 

WILLIAM    S.  MYERS,  Director, 

M 

Nitrate  of  Soda  Propaganda. 

Late  Professor  in  Chemistry  in  the  State  Agricultural  College  of  New  Jersey, 
JOHN  STREET  AND  71  NASSAU,  NEW  YORK. 


Published  February,  1907. 


Preface. 

The  following  leading  Authorities,  among  others,  have  been  consulted 
in  the  preparation  of  this  work. 

1.  Dr.    Maercker,   Government    Privy  Councillor,  German   Agricultural 

Association. 

2.  Fertilizer    Experiments ;    Colorado  Agricultural   Experiment  Station, 

Abstract  of  Bulletin  No.   115,  by  A.  H.  Danielson. 

3.  Sugar-Beet  Investigations  /  Michigan  Agricultural  Experiment  Station, 

Bulletin  No.   179,  by  J.  D.  Towar. 

4.  Effect  of  Each  Class  of  Fertilizer  ;   Nebraska  Agricultural  Experiment 

Station,  Extract  from  Bulletin  No.  73. 

5.  Fertilizers  for   the   Sugar-Beet ;    from  "The  American  Sugar -Beet 

Industry"   1906. 

6.  Sugar-Beet   Investigations;     Ohio   Agricultural   Experiment  Station, 

Bulletin  No.   132. 

7.  Progress    of  the    Beet    Sugar    Industry  in    America;   from   Report 

No.  80,  Bureau  of  Plant   Industry,  United   States   Department  of 
Agriculture.      C.  O.  Townsend. 

8.  Experiments  with  Nitrate  of  Soda  ;  by  Dr.  Paul  Wagner. 

9.  Farmers'  Bulletin  No.  52,  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture. 


New  York,  January,  1907. 


274380 


The  Profitable  Cultivation  of  the  Sugar-Be' et'arid' 
Other  Crops  by  the  Use  of  Nitrate  of  Soda. 

The  Functions  of  Nitrate  of  Soda 
in  Sugar-Beet  Growing. 

Extracts  from  a   Lecture,    delivered  by  Dr.  Maercker,  Government  Privy 

Councillor,  German  Agricultural  Association,  on  the  Profitable 

Cultivation  of  the  Sugar-Beet  and  Other  Crops 

by  the  use  of  Nitrate  of  Soda. 


It  is    always  a    great  pleasure  to   me 

when  1  have  the  opportunity  of  going  into  Introduction, 
a  new  district  and  thereby  extending  my  own  sphere  of 
knowledge ;  for  I  go  outside  my  own  circle,  not  only 
with  the  object  of  imparting  something,  but  also  of,  at 
the  same  time,  bringing  something  away  with  me;  and 
frequently,  when  a  lively  discussion  has  taken  place  upon  a 
question  which  I  have  introduced,  I  have  returned  home 
with  the  consciousness  that  I  have  brought  away  from  the 
meeting  more  than  1  took  to  it.  Now,  in  order  to  be  able 
to  offer  you  perfectly  definite  advice,  it  is  necessary  to  know 
accurately  your  agricultural  position,  and  to  be  thoroughly 
acquainted  with  your  conditions  of  soil  and  climate,  so  as 
to  be  able  to  form  an  adequate  judgment  regarding  them. 
That  is  denied  to  me,  because  I  am  a  stranger  in  your 
district,  and  this  fact  places  me  in  some  embarrassment  and 
renders  it  possible  that  objections  may  be  taken  to  what  I 
am  about  to  say  to  you,  although  I  shall  do  my  utmost  to 
be  as  guarded  as  possible.  But  such  objections  will  not  be 
unfruitful,  for  I  myself  will  learn  something  from  them, 
and  I  shall  endeavor  to  improve,  what  is  capable  of  improve- 
ment, in  your  methods. 

It  is  very  opportune  that  you  should   ,  , , 

,  ,  {_         i-       r  -j          Inseparable 

have  chosen   as  the  subject  for  considera    ^  c 

,     ,  .  J       ,  .  .  Connection  of 

tion  at    to-day  s    meeting    the    cultivation  ^  .  « 

of  the  sugar-beet,  and  the  use  of  Nitrate  SuUgar.Beet  and 

or    boda,   which  is    inseparably    connected   Mjtrate 

with    the    cultivation    of   the    sugar-beet ; 

because,  in  fact,  circumstances  at  the  present  time  are  such 


Nitrate  of  that,  with  the  exception  of  cattle  breeding  and  cattle  dealing 
Soda  for  — an(j  eyen  jn  tjlat  Branch  retrogression  has  of  late  been 
Sugar-Beets      ,  ,  .  -111  ••  '  i 

-  observable — agriculture  has  become  so  little  remunerative 

6  that  farmers  have  almost  lost  heart,  and  the  cultivation  of  the 
sugar-beet  is  the  only  resource  that  is  left  to  us.  We  would, 
therefore,  hope  that,  by  an  intelligent  adoption  of  the  new 
sugar-duty  law,  those  parts  of  the  country  in  which  the  culti- 
vation of  the  sugar-beet,  although  they  are  suited  for  it,  has 
not  yet  attained  due  development,  will  have  the  possibility 


A  Field  of  Young  Beets  on  the  Upper  Gila  in  Graham  County, 

After  Thinning,  April  22,  1901. 
Bulletin  No.  51,  Arizona  Experiment  Station — Me  Clatchin-Fabbs. 

open  to  them  in  future  of  taking  it  up  to  the  fullest  extent. 
The  prospects  of  the  law  passing  are,  it  may  be  said,  not  un- 
favorable; they  have,  so  far  as  I  can  learn  in  Reichstag  circles, 
distinctly  improved  of  late,  as  regards  the  grants  which  are 
to  be  made  and  which  will  allow  of  the  establishment  of  new 
factories  to  a  wide  extent.  We,  in  the  province  of  Saxony, 
in  no  way  take  up  a  narrow-minded  position  ;  we  know 
what  advantages  the  cultivation  of  the  sugar-beet  confers  on 
agriculture  generally,  and  we  are  far  from  wishing  that  you 


should  not  share  in  those  advantages.    On  the  contrary,  we  Nitrate  of 

Soda  for 
Sugar-BeetJ 


shall    rejoice    to    see    our  fellow-agriculturists  in  the  east  *• 


participate  in  the  blessings  of  the  sugar-beet  industry. 

Gentlemen,  after  these  introductory  remarks,  I  pass  on 
to  my  proper  theme,  and  I  shall  first  of  all  have  to  discuss 
what  is  requisite  generally  for  the  remunerative  cultivation 
of  the  sugar-beet. 

The  first  requisite  is  a  suitable  climate.  ^.. 

TT          i  •    ¥  j  j  i          r  Climate. 

U  pon  this  1  do  not  need  to  enlarge,  tor  you 

are  in  the  midst  of  sugar-beet  growing  districts,  and  your 
climate  will  not  essentially  differ  from  that  in  which  the 
sugar  factories  of  Culmsee,  Kruschwitz,  Nakel,  Wreschen, 
and  others,  have  called  into  existence  a  remunerative  cultiva- 
tion of  the  beet.  There  can  be  no  question  that  your  climate 
is  just  as  well  suited  to  its  remunerative  cultivation,  and  to 
the  production  of  beets  as  rich,  if  not  richer,  in  sugar. 
Your  climatic  conditions,  indeed,  are  such  that  you  have  a 
later  spring.  According  to  the  data  with  which  Major 
Hintze  has  furnished  me,  it  may  be  taken  that  spring  com- 
mences with  you  about  ten  days  later  than  with  us ;  but 
you  make  up  for  that  afterwards  by  a  hotter  sun  and  a 
higher  summer  temperature ;  and  there  can  be  no  doubt 
that  just  this  temperature  exercises  a  very  favorable  influence 
upon  the  contents  of  the  beet  in  sugar  ;  so  that,  here  in  the 
east — although  we  formerly  doubted  it — you  are  able  to 
produce  beets  which  are  not  only  not  poorer  in  sugar  than 
in  the  neighboring  districts  for  which  a  monopoly  of  the 
cultivation  of  the  crop  was  once  claimed,  but  beets  which 
are  probably  even  somewhat  richer  in  sugar,  and  which,  in 
any  case,  possess  as  high  a  percentage  of  sugar  as  any  factory 
can  require  ;  so  that  the  question  of  climate  is  completely 
disposed  of. 

In  the  second  place,  there  must  be  available  the  kind  of 
soil  suitable  for  the  cultivation  of  the  sugar-beet^  and  we  shall 
therefore  have  to  enter  upon  the  discussion  of  the  question: 
What  is  essentially  the  best  soil  for  beets  ? 

Gentlemen,  if  you  put  this  question  ^est 
to  me,  I  am  in  a  difficulty  as  to  what  reply  ^  ., 
to  make.  For  our  ideas  as  to  the  necessary 
qualities  of  a  soil  for  the  growth  of  the  sugar-beet 
have  changed  during  the  last  ten  years  in  a  remarkable 
manner.  Formerly  we  believed  that  we  should  never  be 


Nitrate  of  able  to  grow  beets,  and  especially  beets  rich  in  sugar,  on 
Soda  for  any  other  kind  of  soil  than  light  loam   rich  in  humus,  such 
uga  '  as  we  have  in   the  Magdeburg    district,  on  the  northern 

8  border  of  the  Harz,  and  in  parts  of  Brunswick  and  Hildes- 

heim.  But  when  later  on  land  owners  felt  the  need  of 
giving  their  acres  a  rest  from  beet-growing,  they  gradually 
extended  their  beet  cultivation  to  the  lighter  soils ;  they 
turned  from  the  essentially  loam  soils  first  to  the  sandy 
loams,  then  to  the  loamy,  and  lastly  to  the  light  sandy  soils; 
and,  in  fact,  on  these  last,  if  they  only  possess  the  necessary 
moisture  and  are  properly  manured,  we  succeed  in  growing 
as  good  beets  as  on  loam,  so  that  we  may  say  that  the  type 
of  soil  suitable  for  growing  beets  is  by  no  means  a  restricted 
one,  but  that  any  even  moderately  useful  agricultural  land 
appears  to  be  suited  for  the  cultivation  of  the  crop.  At 
most  we  might  exclude  heavy  clay  soils,  which  are  certainly 
least  adapted  to  the  growth  of  the  sugar-beet ;  but,  if  the 
necessary  means  are  employed,  even  they  may  be  rendered 
suitable ;  the  means  consisting  mainly  in  the  systematic 
employment  of  lime  to  modify  the  heavy  nature  of  the  clay 
soil  so  as  to  allow  the  beet  to  root  deeply,  to  warm  the  soil, 
and  to  render  it  readily  workable.  If  this  be  done,  sugar- 
beet  cultivation  may  be  -profitably  carried  on  even  on  the  heaviest 
clays.  This  has  been  proved  in  the  most  convincing 
manner,  and  we  therefore  arrive  at  the  conclusion  that  there 
is,  in  fact,  no  kind  of  soil,  with  the  exception  of  the  driest 
sand  drifts,  on  which  the  sugar-beet  may  not  be  successfully 
cultivated,  if  we  only  understand  what  are  the  measures 
necessary  to  make  it  thrive. 

c   ,   c   ..  If  I  now  pass  on  to  the  third  requisite  for 

Sub-Soil.  z.  /  •       •         •.  ;  • 

sugar-beet    cultivation^    it    urgently  requires 

both  a  warm  soil  and  a  warm  sub-soil.  If  we  wish  to  define 
what  constitutes  a  cold  soil,  we  understand  by  a  cold  soil 
one  in  the  sub-soil  of  which  there  is  stagnant  moisture, 
water  which  has  no  outflow.  The  water  causes  coldness, 
and  cold  is  the  greatest  enemy  of  the  sugar-beet,  for  it  both 
diminishes  the  quantity  and  injures  the  quality  of  the  crop 
in  an  incalculable  degree.  It  is,  in  fact,  correct  to  say  of 
such  a  soil  that  it  is  unsuitable  for  the  cultivation  of  the 
sugar-beet.  But  it  must  by  no  means  be  assumed  that  such 
a  soil  is  wholly  and  forever  unfit  because  it  is  less  suitable 
than  a  soil  with  a  warm,  well  drained  sub-soil. 


A  further  requisite,  absolutely  essential  in  the  case  of  soils  Nitrate  of 
where  there  is  stagnant  moisture  in  the  sub-soil,  is,  therefore,  Soda  for 
the  carrying  out  of  judicious  drainage.     You  must  not  think,     ugar"Beets 
gentlemen,  that  the  prize  has  fallen  to  us,  who  are  in  the  9 

center  of  the  beet  cultivation,  all  at  once  and  without  exer- 
tion ;  on  the  contrary,  it  has  required  hard  and  tedious 
work  to  enable  us  to  reach  the  position  which  we  have  now 
attained,  and,  with  us,  drainage,  wherever  necessary — and 
it  has  been  necessary  in  very  many  places — has  long  since 
been  carried  out,  and  with  most  beneficial  results,  not  only 
to  beet  growing,  but  also  in  the  case  of  other  field  crops. 

Now,  I  am  unacquainted  with  the  con-  ^    . 

ditions  in  which  you  are  farming  here,  and  I 
do  not  know  whether  drainage  is  extensively  required  ;  but  I 
cannot  divest  myself  of  the  impression  that  your  soil  is  in 
many  places  in  great  need  of  drainage.  Wherever  we  see 
water  standing  in  the  hollows  of  the  fields,  we  may  be  quite 
sure  that  there  is  need  for  drainage,  and  that,  if  the  necessary 
means  are  at  disposal,  drainage  work  should  be  carried  out 
without  delay.  It  may  probably  not  always  be  a  question 
of  systematic  drainage  of  the  entire  field,  but  only  of  those 
places  where  it  is  absolutely  necessary  that  the  water  should 
be  carried  off.  In  all  probability  you  will  secure  good 
results  if  you  thus  effect  partial  drainage  ;  but  I  must  lay 
down,  as  an  indispensable  requisite  of  sugar-beet  growing, 
that,  if  there  be  to  any  great  extent  stagnant  moisture  in  the 
sub-soil,  thorough  drainage  must  be  carried  out. 

A  further  and,  indeed',  the  most  important     ,  .  c  .. 

,.    .  J         r        77     r  j  r    7  7    •  -  LimC    ID    Soil 

condition  of  alt  for  the  successful  cultivation        D       .  . 
f  j  7       •     j  r          /r  •  a  Requisite. 

of  the  sugar-beet  is  the  -presence  of  a  sufficiency 

of  lime  in  the  soil ;  without  this,  the  hope  of  a  good  and 
profitable  yield  of  sugar-beets  would  be  difficult  of  fulfill- 
ment. But  this  evil  is  easily  to  be  remedied  ;  for,  if  there 
be  not  sufficient  lime  present  in  the  soil,  it  can  easily  be 
furnished  by  judicious  liming;  and  even  in  our  district,  where 
the  cultivation  of  the  sugar-beet  has  been  very  successfully 
carried  on,  the  requisite  store  of  lime  was  not  always  at  the 
outset  present  in  our  soils.  I  am  not  aware  whether  your 
soils  here  are  poor  in  lime,  and  therefore  need  to  be  supplied 
with  it.  But,  gentlemen,  the  question  is  so  important  a 
one,  not  only  for  the  cultivation  of  sugar-beets  but  for  the 
production  of  farm  crops  generally,  that  it  should  be  solved 


Nitrate  of  without  delay.      It  is,  as  1   have   said,  the  most  important 
Soda  for  Qf  ajj   agricultural    questions.      For  beets   not   only    need 
Sugar-Beets  .  ..  >..          r    -     L   •  •   u  c 

-  ample    quantities    or    lime  for  their  nourishment,  for    the 

10          direct  satisfying  of  their  lime  requirements,  but  the  indirect 
effects  of  the  lime  are  more  important  still. 
c         *  ll    *f        A    so^   which,   when  it   is   saturated   with 
Q  ?.  the  moisture  of  winter,  forms  heavy  clods, 

and  is,  therefore,  in  the  spring,  only  capable 
of  tillage  late  and  with  difficulty,  loses  at  once  this  tendency 
to  form  clods  if  the  necessary  quantities  of  lime  are  applied 
to  it.  A  soil  naturally  cold  can  be  rendered  warm,  at  least 
on  the  surface,  if  sufficient  quantities  of  lime  are  added  to 
it.  A  soil  which  has  an  adequate  store  of  lime  brings  into 
activity  all  the  constituents  of  the  manures  applied  to  it, 
not  only  those  of  dung,  but  also  those  of  artificial  manures, 
much  more  rapidly  than  soils  in  which  such  store  of  lime  is 
not  present.  The  plant  foods  introduced  into  the  soil  in 
manures  are  gradually,  in  the  course  of  absorption  by  the 
soil,  in  great  part  converted  into  an  insoluble  form,  and  in 
that  insoluble  form  they  cannot  at  once  be  dissolved  by  the 
water  of  the  rainfall.  To  render  them  soluble  it  is  first 
necessary  that  carbonic  acid  should  be  developed  in  the  soil, 
and  that  this  carbonic  acid  should  be  dissolved  by  the 
moisture  in  the  soil.  Only  then  this  soil  moisture,  con- 
taining carbonic  acid,  capable  of  quickly  and  readily  dis- 
solving phosphoric  acid,  potash  and  other  food  stuffs  and 
of  supplying  them  to  the  plants,  thereby  rendering  possible 
the  production  of  a  heavy  crop  of  beets  rich  in  sugar. 
P.  'The  fifth  requisite  for  growing  the  sugar-beet 

P  .  .  is  deep  cultivation.     Without  a  soil  deeply 

loosened  and  exposed  in  winter  to  the 
atmosphere,  beet  cultivation  cannot  be  successfully  carried 
on.  The  beet  requires  a  deeper  tilth  than  other  plants, 
because  it  can  only  with  great  difficulty  overcome  resistance 
in  the  soil.  It  goes  very  deep  with  its  tap-root,  and  if  it 
meets  with  strong  resistance  in  the  soil  it  does  not  form  its 
tap-root,  on  which  it  is  greatly  dependent,  in  a  sufficient 
manner,  and  the  natural  consequence  is  that  the  produce  is 
small.  Therefore,  deep  cultivation  is  an  indispensable 
requisite  for  growing  sugar-beet.  But  for  carrying  out  this 
deep  cultivation  many  things  are  necessary.  We  must  have 
the  requisite  team  power,  the  necessary  ploughing  apparatus 


and  the  like;  then,  gentlemen,  deep  cultivation  is  not  to  Nitrate  of 

be  accomplished  with  the  sub-soil  plough  alone:  many  other  Soda  for 

i  c  i  •          u     j        i        i         i_    j  Sugar-Beets 

implements  are  necessary  for  working  the  deeply  ploughed  - 


Root  System  of  Sugar- Beet,  showing  necessity  of  deep  preparation 

of  Soil. 
Bulletin  No.  13,  California'Experiment  Station. 

soil ;  the  heavy  roller,  the  grubber,  etc.,  are  requisite. 
Without  them  sugar-beets  cannot  be  grown,  and  there  can 
be  no  question  that  if  you  wish  to  carry  on  the  cultivation 


Nitrate  of  'm  an  intensive  manner  a  certain  outlay  is  ncessary,  which, 
Su  ar°Beets  ^owever'  ls  rendered  remunerative  not  only  by  the  beet 
_  crop  itself  but  also  by  the  yields  of  other  crops  in  the  rota- 
12  tion.  And  it  has  to  be  borne  in  mind  with  regard  to  deep 
cultivation  of  the  soil  that  by  it  we  obtain  not  only  heavier 
but  also  more  certain  crops.  It  is  much  easier  to  secure 
equality  of  yields,  one  year  with  another,  in  a  deeply  culti- 
vated soil  than  in  one  the  cultivation  of  which  is  shallow. 
In  favorable  circumstances  you  may  obtain  in  a  superficially 
loosened  soil  heavy  yields  of  wheat,  potatoes  and  other  farm 
crops  ;  but  if  unfavorable  circumstances,  of  whatever  nature, 
occur,  the  less  deeply  loosened  soil  fails,  whether  in  a  season 
that  is  too  wet  or  in  one  that  is  too  dry,  whilst  the  deeply 
cultivated  soil  allows  the  injurious  effects  of  excessive  rain- 
fall or  the  still  more  disastrous  effects  of  drought  to  come 
far  less  into  evidence.  If  therefore  you  go  in  for  deep 
cultivation,  for  which  ordinary  agricultural  appliances  do 
not  afford  the  means,  you  will  find  that  under  its  influence 
your  other  crops  also  will  give  more  favorable  results. 
More  Liberal  There  are  several  other  matters  in  this 
T  j  n  connection  to  which  I  shall  revert  in  the  course 

Fertilizers  of  my  lecture ;  for  example ',  the  more  liberal 

use  of  artificial  manures^  the  selection  of 
suitable  varieties  of  the  plants  to  be  cultivated,  etc.;  but 
these  are  all  secondary  matters  ;  the  main  thing  is,  and  will 
be,  deep  cultivation ;  and  this,  as  I  have  said,  will  be 
remunerative  in  the  case  of  all  other  crops,  as  well  as  in  the 
growth  of  the  sugar-beet. 
Us  of  D  '11  ^  father,  and^  indeed^  a  fundamental  con- 

,  TT   '  dition  for    beet    cultivation    is  that  of  con- 

and  Hoe.  .    J     .  .  .     .    .         r   .     .  ...      /  . 

necting  with  it  the  use  of  the  drill  and  the  use 

of  the  hoe — and^indeed^  the  most  active  use  of  the  hoe.  Gentle- 
men, if  we  have  achieved  something  in  the  districts  where 
beets  have  long  been  grown,  we  have  done  so  not  only  by 
the  use  of  the  drill,  but  far  more  still  by  the  use  of  the  hoe, 
to  which  the  cultivation  of  the  beet,  in  the  first  instance  for 
itself,  but  no  less  also  for  the  other  crops,  gave  occasion. 
If  at  the  present  season  of  the  year  you  pass  through  our 
fields  where  sugar-beet  cultivation  is  carried  on,  you  see  the 
long  rows  of  laborers,  who  arrived  towards  the  end  of 
March,  engaged  in  hoeing  the  wheat;  and  if  it  is  still  practi- 
cable, and  the  growth  of  the  rye  is  not  yet  too  far  advanced, 


it  also  is  being  hoed.     If  the  necessary  labor  be  available,  Nitrate  of 
then  the  barley,  the  peas,  the  oats,  etc.,  should  also  be  hoed,  So' 
and  those  crops  also,  like  the  sugar-beet,  will  thrive  under  ! 
the  use  of  the  hoe,  although  hoe  cultivation  is  not  so  indis-  l3 

pensably  requisite  for  them  as  for  the  latter.     To  attempt 
to  carry  on  sugar-beet  cultivation  without  the  use  of  the  hoe 
—whether  the  machine  or  the  hand  implement — is  a  perfect 
chimera.     Without  a  thorough  use  of  the  hoe  no  heavy 
yields,  and,  still  less,  beets  rich  in  sugar,  can  be  obtained. 
The  use  of  the  hoe  is  a  fundamental      D.  ,     TT        « 

...  .  r          J,i  r     )  J     j.  •         ,  •  r          Right     USC    Ot 

condition  for  the  successful  cultivation  of  «  TT 
the  sugar-beet,  because  it  is  not  only  neces- 
sary for  the  extirpation  of  weeds — which  is,  of  course, 
also  a  very  important  result  of  a  thorough  use  of  the 
hoe — but  it  is,  above  all,  requisite  for  the  complete  and 
repeated  breaking  up  of  the  hard  crust  which  forms  to 
an  exceptional  extent  in  the  intensive  cultivation  of  the 
beet,  in  consequence  of  the  application  of  dressings  of 
salts,  such  as  Nitrate  of  Soda  and  potash  salts^  in  order 
that  air  and  warmth,  the  indispensable  and  vivifying 
elements  of  the  soil,  may  be  able  to  penetrate  into  it. 

The  extirpation  of  weeds  is,  be  it  re-      T  c 

,     ,   i  i         r   L  Importance  of 

marked    by  the    way,  also  or  the    greatest      ^      .. 

importance  in  the  growth  of  the  sugar-beet, 
and  moreover  all  the  labor  at  the  disposal  of  the  sugar-beet 
farmer  will  likewise  be  profitably  employed  in  the  destruction 
of  weeds  in  the  wheat  fields.  It  is  extremely  difficult  for  a 
farmer  who  can  grow  no  very  great  breadth  of  crops  requir- 
ing the  use  of  the  hoe  to  thoroughly  keep  down  weeds.  I 
do  not  know  how  it  is  with  you  here,  whether  weeds  are 
common  in  your  fields,  whether  wild  mustard  and  other  fine 
plants  thrive  here  (laughter),  but  I  expect  from  your 
climatic  conditions  that  you  are  not  very  differently  situated 
from  what  we  were  when  as  yet  we  did  not  carry  on  the 
intensive  cultivation  of  the  sugar-beet.  To  be  frank,  we 
must  admit  that  we  are  not  better  than  our  neighbors,  and 
that  we  have  not  by  reason  of  our  greater  foresight  brought 
our  land  into  better  condition  than  that  of  others  elsewhere  ; 
the  fact  is,  rather,  that  the  means  of  doing  so  have  been 
afforded  us  by  the  cultivation  of  the  sugar-beet ;  and  if  you 
secure  the  same  means  by  growing  sugar-beet,  you  also, 
will,  in  a  short  time,  enjoy  the  same  freedom  from  weeds 


Nitrate  of  on  your  land  that  we  in  the  province   of  Saxony  have  now 

Soda  for  for  ^  most  part  obtained,  but  which  is  at  once  lost  again 

8  where  intensive  beet  cultivation  ceases  to  be  carried  on.    In 

J4          our  district  the  common  weeds  are  quite  as  widely  distributed 

as  in  any  other  in  Germany. 

I  now  pass  from  this  fundamental  requisite  of  the 
cultivation  of  the  sugar-beet,  the  active  use  of  the  hoe,  to 
the  next,  and  that  is  the  application  of  the  food-stuffs 
necessary  for  the  sugar-beet. 

Phosphoric  '^e  Phosphoric    acid    requirements    of    the 

^ci(j  beets  are  not  greater  quantitively  than  those  of 

other  farm  crops;  a  heavy  crop  of  it  removes 
from  the  soil  about  29  pounds ',  and  an  average  crop  from  19  to 
22  pounds  of  phosphoric  acid  to  the  acre.  That  is  neither 
more  nor  less  than  a  crop  of  rye,  barley,  oats  or  potatoes 
takes  up,  and  the  sugar-beet,  from  this  point  of  view, 
really  requires  no  heavier  fertilizing  with  phosphoric  acid 
than  we  are  accustomed  to  give  to  our  other  farm  crops. 
But,  in  the  case  of  the  sugar-beet,  there  is  the  circumstance 
that  in  its  first  young  growth  it  undoubtedly  requires  a 
considerably  larger  provision  of  phosphoric  acid  than  other 
farm  crops.  We  can  very  easily  convince  ourselves  of  this 
if  we  heavily  dress  one-half  of  a  field  of  beets  or  even  a 
strip  of  one,  with  phosphoric  acid  and  leave  the  other 
portion  undressed.  It  will  soon  make  itself  evident  that 
the  early  vegetation  of  the  beets  on  the  portion  heavily 
fertilized  with  phosphoric  acid  progresses  much  more  rapidly 
than  on  the  part  not  dressed  with  phosphoric  acid.  From 
the  outset,  the  beets  grow  far  more  quickly,  they  can  be 
earlier  singled,  they  shade  the  soil  sooner  and  more  com- 
pletely, and  every  experienced  grower  of  the  sugar-beet 
knows  that  this  is  of  the  greatest  importance.  The  earlier 
I  am  able  to  single  the  beets,  the  better  and  safer  prospect 
I  have  for  my  crop.  Every  experienced  grower  of  the 
sugar-beet  knows  that,  with  the  exception  of  fields  affected 
by  threadworms  and  beet  sickness,  it  is  in  its  first  youth 
almost  exclusively  that  the  sugar-beet  has  to  fight  against 
its  enemies,  and  that  the  more  rapidly  it  thrives  the  quicker 
it  grows  out  of  the  reach  of  those  enemies. 

Therefore,  gentlemen,  we  must  employ  an  ample  and 
not  too  restricted  quantity  of  phosphoric  acid  for  the  pro- 
motion of  this  first  period  of  growth.  And  for  the  hasten- 


ing  and  advancement  of  this  early  -period  of  growth  we  require.  Nitrate  of 
not  the  form  of  phosphoric  acid  with  difficulty  soluble,  such  as  Soda  f 
we  have  it  in  basic  slag  or  in  the  precipitated  phosphates  or 
even  in  bone  meal,  but  exclusively  the  form  which  is  soluble  in 
water.  Nineteen  pounds  of  phosphoric  acid  soluble  in 
water  are  indispensably  necessary  to  enable  the  beets  to 
thrive,  and  in  particular  to  secure  a  healthy  and  rapid  first 
period  of  growth.  Besides  this,  an  additional  quantity  may 
be  given  in  a  less  readily  soluble  form.  Such  a  supply  of 
phosphoric  acid  is  an  indispensable  necessity,  especially 
where  the  spring  is  cold  and  the  soil  at  the  time  when  the 
beets  are  singled  is  still  but  slightly  warmed,  as  may  well 
be  the  case  under  your  climatic  conditions. 

But,   gentlemen,  on   the   other  hand,  TT        ,,  nu 

L  •        r    L       L     •        -j         i_  Use  of  Phos- 

tne  quantity  or  phosphoric  acid  to  be  sup-        ,      .     A   . , 

,.  7  i          i       •      f-    •  i-  i      f  phone  Acid. 

plied    has    also   its   limits.       formerly  the 

sugar  factories  demanded  quite  excessive  quantities  of 
phosphoric  acid,  with  the  object  of  obtaining  beets  rich  in 
sugar.  They  required  fifty  to  ninety  pounds  and  upward 
to  the  acre,  and  they  believed  that  not  only  was  this  neces- 
sary in  order  to  obtain  heavy  crops  of  beet,  but  also  that 
the  quantity  of  phosphoric  acid  stood  in  direct  relation  to 
the  formation  of  sugar  in  the  beet.  This  idea  has  been  set 
aside  by  Hellriegel,  who  has  proved  that  no  connection 
exists  between  the  phosphoric  acid  and  the  formation  of 
sugar  in  the  beet.  On  a  soil  poor  in  phosphoric  acid  you 
will  indeed  grow  fewer  beets  than  on  one  rich  in  phosphoric 
acid,  for  phosphoric  acid  is  an  indispensable  food-stuff  of 
the  beet ;  but  the  crop  of  beet,  although  smaller  in  quantity, 
is  relatively  as  rich  in  sugar  as  that  of  which  the  quantity  is 
greater.  Nor  have  I  ever  heard  that  a  crop  of  beets  which 
turned  out  to  be  a  small  one,  and  turned  out  to  be  a  small 
one  in  consequence  of  a  deficiency  of  phosphoric  acid  in  the 
soil,  was  particularly  poor  in  sugar.  On  the  contrary,  if  we 
obtain  a  smaller  crop,  we  usually  get  beets  tolerably  rich  in 
sugar ;  and  in  the  case  of  heavy  yields  there  is  a  greater 
risk  of  a  low  percentage  of  sugar  than  in  the  case  of  smaller 
crops.  Therefore,  in  the  present  state  of  agriculture,  it  is 
no  longer  thought  necessary,  as  formerly  was  generally  the 
case,  to  squander  phosphoric  acid  in  this  manner ;  it  is 
proper  and  customary  to  give  to  the  beet  no  more  than  is 
required  to  render  its  first  growth  rapid  and  healthy,  and 


Nitrate  of  tnan  is  required  for  its  later  development  and  the  perfecting 
Su  a°lteets  °^  *ts  structure>  4uite  without  reference  to  the  formation  of 

sugar,  which,  as  we  have  said,  is  accomplished  without  the 

16  co-operation  of  phosphoric  acid.  For  this,  the  nineteen 
pounds  of  phosphoric  acid  soluble  in  water,  which  we  give 
to  push  on  the  crop,  suffice,  and  if  there  is  present  in 
addition  a  store  of  some  nineteen  to  twenty-two  pounds,  in 
a  form  not  readily  soluble,  that  is  ample. 

In  numerous  experiments  in  fertilizing  which  we  have 
carried  out  in  Saxony  and  the  Altmark,  on  soils  poor  in 
phosphoric  acid,  these  quantities  have  always  sufficed,  and 
I  do  not  doubt  that  they  will  also  suffice  under  the  condi- 
tions in  which  you  are  farming,  regard  being  had,  of  course, 
to  difference  of  climatic  conditions.  In  colder  situations, 
gentlemen,  we  are  compelled  to  use  phosphoric  acid  more, 
largely  because  there  it  is  necessary  to  hasten  the  develop- 
ment of  the  beet  more  than  in  warmer  situations;  and  I  will 
therefore  not  apply  the  rules  which  we  have  just  laid  down 
to  your  district  without  reservation  ;  but,  for  the  reasons 
which  I  have  given,  I  believe  that  you  will  have  no  need 
to  have  recourse  to  a  more  lavish  use  of  phosphoric  acid. 
Lastly,  gentlemen,  before  I  turn  to  the  special  topic 
with  which  I  have  to  deal — the  employment  of  Nitrate 
of  Soda  and  other  Nitrogenous  manures — /  have  still  to 
lay  stress  on  one  more  point ;  the  selection  of  the  varieties 
of  beet  suited  to  particular  conditions  of  cultivation. 
Ho  S  1  ^n  ^s  matter,  likewise,  we  do  not  now 
y  .  .  need  to  be  anxious  ;  for,  gentlemen,  in  no 

department  of  agriculture  has  greater  pro- 
gress been  made  than  in  that  of  beet  selection.  The 
intensive  and  scientific  manner  in  which  beet  selection  has 
been  carried  on,  has  produced  varieties,  which  are,  so  to 
speak,  en  tout  casy  and  which  thrive  just  as  well  in  France 
and  America  as  in  the  Magdeburg  district,  in  Austria- 
Hungary  and  South  Russia,  which  bear  all  climatic  condi- 
tions to  which  they  may  be  exposed—  the  climate  of  districts 
bordering  on  the  sea  and  the  climate  of  the  steppes — and 
which,  notwithstanding  the  diversity  of  those  climatic  con- 
ditions, yield  an  equally  high  percentage  of  sugar.  It  was 
the  Frenchman,  Vilmorin,  who  gave  the  first  direction  to 
the  selection  of  beets  rich  in  sugar.  But  Vilmorin  has  long 
since  been  surpassed  by  the  varieties  of  the  brothers  Dippe 


Nitrate  of 
Soda  for 
Sugar-Beets 

17 


Nitrate  of 

Soda  for 

Sugar-Beets 

18 


19 


and  many  others ;  varieties  which  all  stand  pretty  nearly  Nitrate  of 

equally    high.       A    slight    superiority    among    the  several  Soda  for 

1  .     /         5           .,,         -1-L1                      j           i              Sugar-Beets 
varieties   may   still   exist,   but  it   has  long  ceased  to   be  as  

great  as  it  was  ten  years  ago,  so  that  really  bad  varieties  of 
beet  no  longer  come  into  the  market  and  it  is  not  necessary 
to  be  so  anxious  about  the  choice.  The  varieties  have 
been  so  much  improved  by  selection  and  scrutiny,  that 
almost  all  are  suitable  for  our  climate  ;  and  therefore  it  is 
not  necessary  that  we  should  exercise  any  extraordinary 
care  in  this  respect. 

Finally,  I  come  to  yet  another  question  which  is  very 
important  in  its  relation  to  beet  cultivation,  but  which  may 
readily  be  disposed  of,  and  that  question  is  :  In  carrying  on 
an  intensive  cultivation  of  the  sugar-beet,  what  am  I  to  do 
with  my  farm-yard  manure ;  am  1  to  apply  it  all  to  the 
beets,  or,  if  not,  on  which  crops  should  it  be  used  in  carry- 
ing on  an  intensive  cultivation  of  sugar-beets  ? 

Gentlemen,  for  a  long  period  we  had       y        -  p  rm 
great  doubt  about  the  direct  application  of         ar(j  jyfanur 

farm-yard  manure  to  sugar-beets,  but  those       „.    ,         IT 

,  J  ,  5    i   i        i  •        Kinds  to  Use. 

doubts  have  been  removed  by  the  experi- 
ments first  of  all  made  in  Wanzleben  by  Counsellor  Schaper, 
who  may  well  be  called  the  father  of  intensive  and  rational 
beet  cultivation,  and  it  has  been  demonstrated  that  there  is 
scarcely  a  crop  which  shows  itself  so  responsive  to  the 
application  of  farm-yard  manure  as  the  sugar-beet;  always, 
indeed,  subject  to  certain  conditions.  The  application  of 
farm-yard  manure  must  not  be  overdone  ;  we  must  not  give 
fifteen  or  twenty  tons  of  farm-yard  manure,  but  eight  to 
twelve  tons  are  a  dressing  which  is  quite  suitable  for  the 
beet.  But  here  a  proper  selection  must  be  made  among 
the  different  kinds  of  dung  which  are  at  disposal,  and  sheep 
dung  must  be  avoided ;  not  because  it  would  be  in  any  way 
a  poison  to  the  beets,  but  because  in  sheep  dung,  which 
is  collected  in  deep  stalls,  far  more  immediately  assimilable 
combinations  of  Nitrogen  are  contained  than  in  yard  dung, 
the  available  combinations  of  Nitrogen  of  which  are  in  great 
part  lost  in  consequence  of  unfavorable  circumstances. 
This,  indeed,  is  one  of  the  most  important  questions  of  the 
day  in  connection  with  agricultural  economy.  Sheep  dung 
is  so  intensive  in  its  action  because  all  the  important  con- 
stituents, and  in  particular  the  urine,  are  present  in  it,  whilst 


Nitrate  of  the  yard  dung  is  less  intensive  in  its  effects  because  it  has 
Soda  for  jost  a  great  part  of  the  active  constituents,  circumstances, 
Sugar-Beets       u •   i        r  T  i_-   L 

-  which,  or  course,  1  cannot  discuss  here,  but  which  represent 

ao  the  most  important  technical  questions  in  connection  with 
agriculture  which  is  before  us  at  the  present  day.  Now, 
sheep  dung  is  less  suitable  for  beets,  because  it  contains  too 
many  readily  assimilable  combinations  of  Nitrogen,  and  the 
only  possibility  of  with  certainty  rendering  beets  poor  in 
sugar  lies  in  applying  to  them  a  manure  which  contains 
combinations  too  rich  in  Nitrogen.  And  this  would  happen 
if  sheep  dung  were  used. 
Good  Effects  ^ut  as  reSar<^s  farm-yard  manure  in  general. 

of  Application.    In  the  ^rst  Plac«  the  effect.  of  *c  aPPlicua- 
tion  or  farm-yard  manure  is  to  loosen  the 

soil ;  the  formation  of  carbonic  acid,  in  connection  with  the 
formation  of  humus,  brings  about  many  useful  changes  ; 
and  lastly,  in  a  dry  year,  the  beets  root  much  more  easily 
in  a  field  dressed  with  farm-yard  manure.  Therefore,  both 
in  its  chemical  and  its  mechanical  effects,  the  application  of 
farm-yard  manure  is  of  extreme  advantage  to  the  sugar-beet, 
always  subject  to  the  reservation  already  mentioned,  and 
also  to  the  further  condition,  which  also  tends  to  the  interest 
of  the  grower  himself,  that  the  farm-yard  manure  has  been 
deeply  ploughed  under  in  the  previous  autumn.  To  dress 
sugar-beets  with  farm-yard  manure  in  the  spring,  may,  in 
certain  circumstances,  be  to  poison  them  ;  for  the  period  of 
drought  which  usually,  at  least  with  us,  sets  in  soon  after 
the  tillage,  and  which  frequently  fills  the  heart  of  the  farmer 
with  anxious  fears  for  the  result  of  the  harvest,  causes  the 
beets  to  surfer  much  during  their  early  growth  from  defi- 
ciency of  moisture.  This  danger  would  be  greatly  increased 
if  the  soil  had  been  rendered  too  loose  by  farm-yard  manure 
being  ploughed  under  in  the  spring,  nor  would  the  peril  to 
the  development  of  the  beets  be  obviated  in  a  sufficient 
manner  even  by  the  use  of  the  heavy  roller. 

//  isy  therefore,  wholly  to  the  interest  of  the  farmer  to 
plough  under  the  farm-yard  manure  in  the  autumn.  But, 
gentlemen,  you  who  wish  to  grow  beets,  bear  well  in  mind 
the  fact  that  in  colder  situations  the  application  of  farm-yard 
manure  is  of  still  greater  advantage  than  in  warmer  climatic 
conditions,  and  co-operate  accordingly  with  the  sugar 
factories,which  freely  allow  you  to  employ  farm-yard  manure 


within  the  limits  laid  down  by  me.     How   does   the   case  Nitrate  of 
stand  in  that  respect  here  P  (A  voice  :  "It  is  freely  allowed.")  Soda  for 
Well,  gentlemen,  then  make  free  use  of  it. 

So  much  as  regards  the  use  of  farm-yard  xr.  2I 

&  ,  ]•      •        r  Nitrate  the 

manure;  we  now  come  to  the  application  of  ,,,        c   .    , . 

,  •    7  j     AT-  i-      /         t  Most  Suitable 

the  most  suitable  Nitrogenous  fertilizer  for  f  th    A    m 

the  cultivation  of  the  sugar-beet^  that  is  to 

-\T-  r  rt    i  mates  ror 

,*y,  Nitrate  of  Sub.  Sugar-Beets. 

Gentlemen,  it  is,  generally  speaking, 

impossible  to  grow  sugar-beets  with  profit  without  supply- 
ing   them    in    a   judicious  manner  with  easily  assimilable 

Nitrogenous  food,  and  that,  best  of  all,  in  0         XT      , 

i_    r  r  XT-  c  o   j        r\c   n  Beets  Need 

the  form   or   Nitrate  or  Soda.     Or  all  our  A  .  . 

Ammomates 

crops  the  beet  is  the    one  whose  require-  AJI        ~, 

XT.  ,  n  .    .  More  Than 

ments  m   Nitrogen  are  the  greatest;  .t  is  ph       hates 

capable  or  taking  up  Nitrogen  m  far  greater  P  t    h 

quantities  than  are  usually  supplied  to  it, 
and  there  are  in  this  respect  scarcely  any  limits  to  the 
increase  of  the  yield — but  with  a  certain  reservation.  For 
just  as  we  have  already  learned  that  phosphoric  acid  hastens 
the  growth  of  the  young  beets,  so  the  reverse  may  in  certain 
circumstances  be  brought  about  by  an  injudicious  use  of 
Nitrate  of  Soda;  and  therefore,  Nitrate  of  Soda,  valuable 
as  it  is  in  beet  cultivation,  must  be  used  with  judgment. 

It  should  be  the   object  of  the  beet    pQr  gugar 
grower  to  secure  a  ripe  beet  at  the  time  of    R         M    "   , 

11  iii  •  1*  •  JJCClo    iYlUol     UC 

the  harvest.  But,  by  an  excessive  application  D- 
of  Nitrate  of  Soda  the  ripening  is  delayed, 
and  an  unripe  beet  is  a  beet  poor  in  sugar;  so  that  it  is  not 
to  be  doubted  that  an  excessive  use  of  Nitrate  of  Soda  may 
go  hand  in  hand  with  a  diminution  of  the  percentage  of 
sugar,  and  therefore  with  a  reduction  of  the  value  of  the 
beets  to  the  manufacturer.  Gentlemen,  I  admit  this  per- 
fectly, and  nevertheless  I  entertain  the  firm  conviction  that 
in  present  circumstances,  sugar-beet  growing  cannot  be  carried 
on  without  an  intensive  use  of  Nitrate  of  Soda.  But  in 
applying  Nitrate  of  Soda  the  farmer  must  understand  how 
to  proceed  in  such  a  manner  that  the  percentage  of  sugar 
in  the  beets  does  not  thereby  suffer  loss ;  for  the  manufac- 
turer is  justly  entitled  to  require  the  agriculturist  to  deliver 
to  him  at  the  factory  a  beet  as  rich  in  sugar  as  is  capable  of 
being  produced  under  the  ordinary  conditions  of  the  district. 


Nitrate  of  But,  with  the  same  justice,  the  farmer,  on  his  part,  may 

Soda  for  ciaim  ^^  no  restrictions  be  imposed  upon  him  on  the  part 

_____!_  of  the  factory  which  would  prevent  him  from  obtaining  the 

aa          heaviest  possible  yield  of  beets  on  a  given  area.      But  both 

are  to  be  reconciled,  as  I  now  propose  to  point  out  to  you, 

by  a  proper  use  of  Nitrate  of  Soda. 

Ammoniates  The  vari°MS form\  °f  Nitrogen,  as  sul- 
All  Converted  fa*e  °f  ammonia,  dried  blood  and 
into  Nitrates  tankage,  are  in  the  long  run  converted 
into  Nitrates  in  the  soil.  There  are 
present  in  the  soil  ferments ,  bacilli  (which  indeed  carry 
on  their  work  in  every  division  of  life] ,  which,  in  the 
end,  convert  substances  containing  organic  Nitrogen  and 
ammonia  into  Nitrates.  But,  gentlemen,  in  the  conver- 
sion of  these  substances  into  Nitrate,  a  certain  loss 
takes  place.  In  the  conversion  of  ammonia  into  Nitrate, 
gaseous  Nitrogen  is  developed,  and  this  gaseous  Nitrogen 
is  altogether  valueless,  for  the  atmosphere  already  con- 
tains 79  to  80  per  cent  of  it.  But  the  Nitrogen- consuming 
La  Loss  s  P^nts — beets,  potatoes,  wheat — are  un- 

c  A  able  to  take  up  this  atmospheric  Nitrogen; 
of  Ammonia  7  •      /  •</->/ 

when  Ordinary  and  an  ammomacal  manure,  even  if  the 

».  .  .  ammonia    is  in    the  course  of  time  con- 

Ammoniates  *  j  •  *~  \T**     j.  //          JT   j. 

.      U     .  verted  into  Nitrate^  can  only  nave  effect 

in  proportion  as  Nitrate  is  produced 
from  the  ammoniacal  Nitrogen.  We  know  that  100 
parts  of  ammoniacal  Nitrogen  yield  only  about  85  parts 
of  Nitrate  Nitrogen,  so  that  the  effect  of  the  same 
quantity  of  ammoniacal  Nitrogen  to  Nitrogen  in  the 
form  of  Nitrate  of  Soda  is  in  the  proportion  of  85  to  100. 
In  the  case  of  dried  blood  and  tankage  the  compari- 
son is  still  more  unfavorable.  Substances  containing 
organic  Nitrogen  which  are  intended  for  plant-food  must 
decay  in  the  soil  and  first  become  ammonia,  which  has 
subsequently  to  be  converted  into  Nitrate.  In  this  process 
of  decomposition  and  of  conversion  into  ammonia,  losses 
of  Nitrogen  take  place,  and  to  these  losses  have  to  be  added 
those  incidental  to  the  conversion  of  the  ammonia  into 
Nitrate,  and  we  have  thus  two  sources  of  loss,  in  addition 
to  which  it  has  to  be  taken  into  account  that,  in  the  case  of 
manures  containing  organic  Nitrogen,  only  65  per  cent  of 
the  effect  of  the  like  quantity  of  Nitrate  Nitrogen  is  apparent 


in   the   end.     Therefore  we  come  to  the  conclusion  that  the  Nitrate  of 
Nitrogen  of  Nitrate  of  Soda  is  in  all  respects  the  most  effective,  ?oda  f°r 
and,  at  corresponding  prices,  the  form  of  Nitrogen  generally  to     Ugar" 
be  recommended.  23 

If  sulfate  of  ammonia  is  so  cheap  that,  TT       r\  u 

c  ,  •  •         r   XT-  •  How  Other 

for  equal  quantities    or    Nitrogen,   it    costs  A 

,  c    ,          •        r  XT-  c  Ammomates 

only  85   per  cent  or  the  price  or  iNitrate  or  . 

Soda,  it  has  then  to  be  considered  whether 
we  cannot  give  part  of  the  Nitrogen  in  the  form  of  the 
ammoniacal  manure.  But  up  to  the  present  the  prices  of 
the  manures  containing  ammoniacal  Nitrogen  have  been  too 
high  for  us  to  be  able  to  think  of  employing  them.  Agri- 
culturists have  indeed  made  much  and  frequent  use  of 
ammoniacal  manure,  but,  in  my  opinion,  quite  injudiciously. 

For,  gentlemen,  the  conversion  of  ammonia  into 
Nitrate  is  not  completed  in  the  soil  all  at  once,  but  is 
brought  about  by  the  growth  and  nourishment  of  small 
organisms,  and  this  process  requires  a  certain  time;  I  cannot 
say  how  long  it  occupies,  but  some  lapse  of  time  always 
takes  place  before  the  last  of  the  ammonia  in  the  soil  is 
converted  into  Nitrate.  But  as  the  beet  is  quite  unable  to 
consume  ammonia,  and  can  only  live  on  Nitrate,  it  is,  in  my 
opinion,  an  agricultural  sin  of  omission  not  to  place  at  its  disposal 
at  the  outset  the  quantity  of  Nitrogen  necessary  for  its  first 
development  in  the  form  of  Nitrate  of  Soda. 

For  this  first  development,  which,  I     ^,. 

repeat  once  more,  must,  in  the  case  of  the     T    ,.  . , 

,  j        .j,         i  i_     i  1-1      T     Indispensable. 

sugar-beet  proceed  rapidly  and  healthily,  I 

hold  the  application  of  Nitrate  of  Soda  in  certain  quantities 
to  be  quite  indispensable ;  so  that  it  may  with  truth  be  said 
that  without  Nitrate  of  Soda  the  profitable  cuitivation  of  the 
sugar-beet  cannot  at  the  present  time  be  carried  on  at  all. 

A  portion  of  the  Nitrogen  may,  if  sulfate  of  ammonia 
be  worth  its  price, — which  at  present  it  is  not — be  given  in 
that  form,  but  there  can  be  no  question  of  any  preference 
to  be  given  to  the  application  of  the  ammoniacal  fertilizer; 
it  may  in  the  most  favorable  circumstances  replace  a  portion 
of  the  Nitrate  of  Soda. 

It  is  indeed  possible  by  the  cultivation  of  catch  crops 
and  the  maintenance  of  a  greater  head  of  cattle,  and  like- 
wise by  the  preservation  of  the  Nitrogen  of  the  dung,  to 
introduce  so  much  heart  into  the  soil  that,  at  the  outset, 


Nitrate  of  sufficient  Nitrogen  is  at  the  disposal  of  the  plants;  but  from 

Soda  for  what  j   know  of  most  kinds  of  soil  in  Germany,  they  are 

_  thoroughly  hungry  for  Nitrogen,  and  I  believe  that  hunger 

24          for  Nitrogen  exists  also  in  your  soils.     Or  have  any  of  you 

to  complain  of  a  superfluity?     (Laughter.     A  voice:  "Not 

outside  the  yard  of  the  posting  house!")    Yes,  possibly  so, 

but  that  is  only  a  quite  exceptional  case,  which  we  may 

leave  out  of  sight,  so  the  remarks  which  I  have  made  will 

be  perfectly  applicable  to  your  circumstances  and  in  those 

circumstances  you  cannot  think  of  carrying  on  the  cultivation 

of  the  sugar-beet  profitably  without  an  intensive  employment  of 

Nitrate  of  Soda. 


Formula  for  Sugar- Beets — Per  Acre. 

300  pounds  fine  ground  bone  meal. 

100  pounds  fine  ground  bone. 

100  pounds  sulphate  of  potash. 

300  pounds  Nitrate  of  Soda. 

The  Nitrate  of  Soda  may  be  divided  into  two  equal  portions  before 
mixing,  and  150  pounds  only  put  in  the  mixture,  and  the  other  150  pounds 
reserved  for  use  as  a  top-dressing. 

For  sugar-beets  when  soil  is  light,  apply  1 60  pounds  of  Nitrate  at  the 
time  of  planting,  and  later,  1 40  pounds  at  the  time  of  the  first  hoeing. 

With  heavy  clay  soils,  300  pounds  may  be  put  on  at  time  of  planting, 
and  this  followed  later  by  thorough  hoeing. 

Sugar- Beets. 


Quantity  of 

Nitrate  of  Soda 

to  be  applied 

to  the  acre. 


50  Ibs. 


And   sti  11 
further 
I  50  Ibs. 


Or  300  Ibs. 
at  one  time. 


Character  of  soil. 


Upon  light  soils. 


In  the  case  of  heavy 
clay  soils,  a  large 
application  of 
Nitrate  may  pro- 
mote the  forma- 
tion of  a  crust, 
which  must  be 
prevented  by  care- 
ful hoeing. 

The  richer  the  soil 
and  the  more 
freely  it  is  ferti- 
lized, the  closer 
the  sugar-beets 
must  be  planted. 


Time  of  ferti- 
lization. 


At  the  time  of 
planting. 

At  the  time  of 
the  first  hoe- 
ing of  the 
beets. 


At  the  time  of 
planting. 


REMARKS. 


The  application  of  Nitrate 
of  Soda  increases  the  yield 
of  sugar-beets  very  largely, 
and  by  proper  use  produces 
sugar-beets  very  rich  in 
sugar.  In  the  use  of  large 
quantities  of  Nitrate  one 
obtains  beets  rich  in  sugar 
when  choice  varieties  of 
sugar-beets  are  cultivated, 
and  when  it  is  applied  early 
and  is  quickly  appropriated 
by  the  beets,  in  order  that 
the  ripening  process  may 
not  be  prolonged. 

The  delaying  of  the  ripening 
process  is  prevented  when 
bountiful  supplies  of  avail- 
able phosphoric  acid  are 
present  in  the  soil.  Every 
224  Ibs.  of  Nitrate  of  Soda 
is  able,  according  to  Wagner, 
to  produce  an  increased 
yield  of  1 4,080  Ibs.  of  sugar- 
beets  rich  in  sugar  and  a 
corresponding  increase  in 
tops  or  leaves. 


Nitrate  Of 

Soda  for 

Sugar- Beets 

26 

SUMMARY. 


Sugar-Beets  for  Profit, 

Abstract  of  Dr.  Maercker's  foregoing  Lecture. 


A1  t1  r^.        The    somewhat    popular  idea   that  certain 

Almost  all  Kinds  c      .,  c      0     r    ,  , 

of  Soils  Suitable  ^es  °f  solls  ,are  necessal7  for  Profitable 
for  Sugar-Beets.  Sugar-Beet  culture  seems  to  have  no  foun- 
dation  in  fact.  Almost  any  type  or  soil  is 
suitable  for  sugar-beets,  so  long  as  moisture  and  tillage,  and 
the  necessary  plant  food  are  supplied.  Even  heavy  clay  soils, 
™  ~  ..  by  systematic  liming,  may  return  regularly 

r»  very  satisfactory  sugar-beet  crops.     Sugar- 

beets  require  a  warm  soil  and  sub-soil;  that 
is  a  soil  free  of  stagnant  water  both  above  and  below  the 
surface.  In  practice  this  means  a  soil  well  drained,  if  not 

t^      j  r\     •  naturally,  then  artificially.    Drainage  alone, 

Good  Drainage  .  rr  •  -c    \  _r  • 

N  c  ssit  1S  not  sl™clent>  however,  if  the  conditions 

are    such    that    the   soil   is  apt  to  become 

cloddy;  on  these  soils  lime  must  be  used  freely,  broadcasted 

f  T        P  f  .  in  the  early  spring.    With  the  soil  mellowed 

Use  of  Lime.  7.         J  , v  ,     . 

by  lime  and  proper  drainage,  we  come  to 

the  next  essential  in  the  profitable  culture  of  sugar-beets — 
deep  cultivation.  If  soils  are  at  all  heavy,  they  should 

Deep  Cultiva-  be  fe" ,  Plowed-  and  even  cross  plowed   the 

.  roughly  turned  soil  left  to  the  action  of  the 

j,  ,  winter  weather.     The  crop  requires  a  deeper 

™r     ,.  tilth  than  other  crops,  as  it  seems  to  have 

Indispensable.     little  Power  of  s°;l  .burr?,wi"g  on  its  °^n 
account,  especially  in  soils  at  all  compact 

naturally;  yet,  a  well-proportioned  tap  root  seems  to  be 
one  of  the  conditions  of  a  high  sugar  content.  Not  only 
must  the  soil  be  deeply  worked  in  its  preparation  for  plant- 
ing, but  it  must  have  continuous  and  thorough  cultivation 
during  the  growing  season.  The  earth  mulch  must  be 
maintained,  and  the  soil  kept  free  of  weeds  and  surface 


crusts ;  these  crusts  are  a  result  of  using  very  high  grade  Nitrate 
plant  foods,  but  intensive  cultivation  demands  their  use.  s°  ar 


Showing  root  system  of  Sugar-Beets  and  great  extent  of  feeding. 
Bulletin  No.  176,  California  Experiment  Station,  1906. 


Acid 
Phosphate. 


The  plant-food  of  sugar-beets  is,  of  course, 
the  same  as  for  other  crops,  ammoniates, 
phosphoric  acid  and  potash.     The   phos- 
phoric acid  must  be  used  in  ample  quantities  in  order  to 
push  forward  a  well  nourished  early  growth,  and  with  this 


Nitrate  of  crOp  water-soluble  phosphoric  acid  should  be  used,  the  form 


Soda  for  founcj  m  acjj  phosphate.  There  is  no  direct  connection 
-  between  sugar  formation  and  phosphoric  acid  plant  food, 

28  but  phosphates  unquestionably  prepare  the  way  for  the 
development  of  sugar  by  influences  to  come  later  in  the 
growing  season.  Abundant  phosphoric  acid  in  the  earlier 
stages  of  growth  puts  the  crop  through  to  an  early  ripen- 
ing, and  the  earlier  sugar-beets  are  matured  the  more  time 
they  have  for  sugar  making.  Ammoniate  plant  food  best 
for  the  sugar-beet  is  a  matter  of  some  discussion,  but  the 

c  roughage  ammoniates  of  the  farm,  such  as 

Farm-yard  r  j  j  •     i 

„  farm-yard  manure,  etc.,  are  used  extensively, 

and  with   proper  care  are  effective,  except 
perhaps  in  the  case  of  sheep  manure,  which  is  too  rich  in 


Row  Irrigation  of  Sugar-Beets. 
Bulletin  No.  176,  California  Experiment  Station,  1906. 

available  ammoniates  to  be  used  to  advantage,  as  losses  are 
unavoidable  for  a  fall  application.  The  best  practice  seems 
to  be  to  broadcast  the  manure  and  plow  down  in  the  fall — 
it  is  never  wise  to  top-dress  sugar-beets  with  manure  of 
the  roughage  type  in  the  spring.  The  best  form  of  plant 

r  c          food  ammoniate  is   the   Nitrated  ammonia 
N.trateofSoda.  of  Nitrate  of  ^      Sugar.beets  take  all 

their   ammoniate    plant   food   in    the  form  of  a  Nitrated 


ammonia ;    while   all   ammoniates    are    in    time   converted  Nitrate  of 

into  the  Nitrated  form  in   the  soil,  the  action    is   always  Soda  for 
irregular  and  is  accompanied  by  a  heavy  loss  of  ammonia.     ugar 
With   Nitrate  of  Soda  all  these  disadvantages    disappear.          29 
It  is  estimated  that  sulphate  of  ammonia  loses  fifteen  per 

cent    of    its    ammonia    in  this    process  of  ^          . 

c  ,  £  Great  Losses 

transformation,    and     that    packing-house  n          IT        ff 

u.  &  c  from  Use  of 

ammoniates  lose  thirty-five  per  cent,  farm- 

yard  manures  lose  from  forty  to  eighty  per 

¥— s  111*  1  1  1*1 

cent,  l<or  all  this  great  loss,  the  disadvan- 
tage is  probably  not  so  much  the  actual  loss  of  ammonia  as 
the  irregularity  with  which  the  plant  food  ammonia  is 
supplied  the  crop.  If  the  Nitrated  plant  food  is  not  present 
when  wanted,  the  crop  must  wait  for  it,  and  nature  in 
agriculture  waits  with  very  bad  grace.  Perhaps  the  best 
application  of  Nitrate  of  Soda  on  farms  carrying  the  stock 
usually  necessary  to  do  the  work  of  the  farm  and  supplement 
natural  losses,  and  the  resulting  manure  regularly  fall- 
plowed  down,  is  300  pounds  per  acre.  It  is  claimed  to  be 
proved  that  for  an  average  year,  100  pounds  of  Nitrate  of 
Soda  will  produce  an  increased  crop  of  sugar-beets  of  2,500 
to  3,000  pounds  per  acre.  Experiments  conducted  by 
Professor  Maercker  gave  an  increased  yield  of  from  4,000 
to  4,800  pounds  for  an  application  of  150  pounds  of  Nitrate 
of  Soda  per  acre,  a  second  application  of  the  same  amount 
also  resulting  in  an  increased  yield  of  4,000  to  4,800  pounds 
per  acre,  but  a  third  application  of  the  same  amount  gave 
an  increased  yield  of  but  1,600  to  2,000  pounds;  hence, 
the  utility  and  profitableness  of  Nitrate  of  Soda  applications 
on  soils  of  fairly  good  condition,  commence  to  be  subject 
to  question  only  after  an  acre  application  of  300  pounds  has 
been  reached. 

This    Nitrate    of  Soda  is  not   all  applied  ~. 

c        r  Time  and 

at   one   time ;    in    fact,    from    i  CO   to    200  ,,  .,     ,     - 

n     u  u  i_      •     i-'j  Method  of 

pounds  are  all  that  should  be  applied  at  A      t.      . 

XT  r  o    j  i          -11  Application, 

one  time.     Nitrate  of  Soda  spreads  rapidly 

throughout  the  soil  and  this  is  one  of  its  great  advantages 
in  quickly  bringing  plant  food  to  the  growing  plants,  but 
the  same  principle  may  prove  a  disadvantage  in  case  of  a 
too  lavish  use,  as  more  or  less  of  the  Nitrate  of  Soda  is 
lost  through  simple  seepage.  Fall  applications  are  not 
advisable  for  this  same  reason.  The  best  way  to  apply  300 


Nitrate  of  pounds  per  acre  is  to  broadcast   150  pounds  when  the  soil 
r  is  being  prepared  for  seeding  in  the  spring,  and  the  remain- 
ing 150  pounds  from  six  to  eight  weeks  later;  the  second 
3°          application   as  a  top-dressing,  well  worked   into  the  soil. 
After  top-dressing,  the  surface  tillage  should  be  deepened, 
and  the  treatment  made  more  thorough ;  where  high-grade 
plant  food   materials  are  used  as  a   top-dressing,  there  is 
always  a  tendency    to  form   surface  crusts,  the  remedy  is 
simply  a  trifle  more  thorough  cultivation  and  a  little  deeper. 


Work  of 
Colorado  Agricultural  Experiment  Station. 

Abstract  of  Bulletin  No.  115. 
Fertilizer  Experiments  with  Sugar- Beets. 

By  A.   H.  Danielson. 
Colorado  Station. 


These  experiments  extended  over  three  years  and  were 
made  to  test  the  effect  of  different  artificial  fertilizers  and 
manure  on  the  yield  and  quality  of  sugar-beets  under 
practical  field  conditions. 

The  experiments  consisted  of  a  series  of  plots  with 
fertilizer  containing  the  three  essential  elements,  Nitrogen, 
phosphoric  acid  and  potash,  alone  and  in  all  possible  com- 
binations. After  preliminary  experimenting  the  source  of 
the  elements  chosen  as  being  more  easily  soluble  in  the 
soil,  was  for  Nitrogen,  Nitrate  of  Soda ;  for  phosphoric 
acid,  acid  or  soluble  phosphate  rock  and  bone,  and  for 
potash,  high-grade  sulphate  of  potash. 

Other  fertilizers  used  were  also  raw  bone  meal,  ground 
oyster  shell,  basic  slag  and  dried  blood. 

The  size  of  the  plots  ranged  from  one-tenth  to  six- 
tenths  of  an  acre  each,  the  yields  were  from  10  tons  to  25.5 
tons,  and  the  profit  from  the  most  effective  element,  from 
$6.00  to  $15.00  per  acre  over  the  cost  of  application. 

Colorado  soils  are  chemically  exceptionally  rich  in 
phosphoric  acid  and  potash,  with  an  excess  of  lime,  only 
Nitrogen  and  humus  are  likely  to  be  somewhat  low. 


Colorado  soils  and  climate  have  proven  under  irrigation  Nitrate  of 
to  be  capable  of  producing  a  very  satisfactory  yield  of  high  |od*  f °r 
quality  sugar-beets  under  normal  conditions.   However,  the  _ 
need  is  being  felt  for  some   fertilizer   to   increase  the  yield          31 
where  farm  manure  is  becoming  scarce  or  not  available. 

The  most  essential  of  the  results  as  obtained  each  year 
are  briefly  given  : 

1903. 

Cow  manure  alone  at  the  rate  of  from  1 5  up  to  60 
tons  per  acre,  and  Nitrate  of  Soda  alone  at  the  rate  of  150 
pounds  per  acre,  had  about  the  same  effect,  each  increasing 
the  yield  about  four  tons  per  acre. 

The  results  from  the  potash  and  phosphatic  fertilizers 
were  largely  negative,  and  Nitrogenous  fertilizers,  when 
used  together  with  the  preceding,  were  also  ineffectual  in 
increasing  the  yield. 

The  quality  of  the  beets  was  good,  but  poorest  with 
the  larger  quantity  of  manure  ;  the  average  sugar  14.6 
per  cent,  purity  84.4. 

1904. 

The  fertilizer  containing  Nitrate  of  Soda  gave  the 
highest  yields,  except  where  used  in  "  complete  "  fertilizer 
with  potash  and  phosphoric  acid. 

Nitrate  of  Soda  at  the  rate  of  175  pounds  per  acre 
seemed  to  be  the  best  amount  to  use  on  this  soil,  increasing 
the  profit  about  $9.00  to  $10.00  per  acre  over  the  cost  of 
application. 

There  appeared  to  be  no  difference  between  the  results 
from  applying  the  entire  amount  of  Nitrate  of  Soda, at  the 
time  of  seeding,  and  in  several  applications  throughout  the 
season. 

Potash  seemed  to  increase  the  yield  somewhat  this 
season,  but  only  just  about  paid  for  its  application. 

Refuse  lime  cake  from  the  sugar  factories  was  in- 
effective. 

The  quality  of  all  the  beets  was  good,  the  average 
being,  sugar,  15.4  per  cent,  purity,  87.8. 

1905. 

This  season  those  plots  with  Nitrogen  in  the  form  of 
Nitrate  of  Soda  gave  the  highest  yields. 


Nitrate  of 

Soda  for 

Sugar-Beets 


The  same  tendency  is  shown  as  in  the  previous  years,  Nitrate  of 

of  the  apparent  neutralization  of  the  effects  of  Nitrate  when  ?oda  f°r 

•  i  i  11          i  •  i    •  Sugar-Beets 

used  together  with  potash  and  phosphoric  acid   in  "  com-  _ 

plete  "  fertilizer.  33 

There  was  no  additional   net  profits  from  using  over 

aoo  pounds  of  Nitrate  of  Soda  per  acre.  This  quantity  was 

able  to  increase  the  net  profit  $6.00  to  $7.00  per  acre  over 

the  cost  of  fertilizer. 

The    shape    and    size    of  the    beets    were    excellent, 

average  sugar  14.9  per  cent,  purity  86.5. 

Residual  Effects  of  Manures  and  Fertilizers. 

The  increased  yield  from  cow  manure  about  covered 
the  cost  of  the  manure  and  its  application  the  first  season. 
The  second  year  the  larger  yield  of  the  manured  plots  over 
those  not  manured  was  about  the  same,  therefore  clear 
profit.  The  third  year  the  effects  of  the  manure  entirely 
disappeared. 

As  good  yields  were  obtained  with  medium  amounts 
of  manure  as  from  large  to  excessive  quantities. 

In  the  case  of  the  artificial  fertilizers  there  appeared  to 
be  little  after-effects,  except  there  appeared  to  be  decided 
residual  effects  from  Nitrate  of  Soda  in  the  year  after  its 
application. 

The   Beet  and  the  Leaf  or  Top. 

There  was  found  to  be  no  definite  relation  between 
the  size  of  the  beet  and  the  percentage  of  tops,  to  sugar 
contents  and  purity.  That  is,  on  the  average,  the  quality 
of  the  beets  does  not  seem  to  be  influenced  much  by  its 
size  or  amount  of  tops. 

The  average  weight  of  fresh,  green  tops  was  found  to 
be  44  per  cent  of  the  weight  of  the  beet.  Estimating  that 
the  tops  will  air-dry  to  one-eighth  the  original  weight,  a 
15-ton  crop  of  beets  will  produce  eight-tenths  (0.8)  ton 
dry  tops  per  acre.  The  present  current  price  of  beet  tops 
for  pasture  is  from  $2.00  to  $3.00  or  more  per  acre. 

Maturing  of  Beets. 

From  samples  taken  during  several  years,  from 
beginning  to  end  of  harvest  period,  it  is  shown  that  there 


Nitrate  of  Js    comparatively    slight    increase    in    sugar    contents    and 
r  purity,  or  yield,  after  the  last  week  in  September. 

34  Practical  Suggestions. 

The  Kind  of  Fertilizer  to  Use  on  Sugar-Beets. 

Nitrogenous  fertilizers  are  the  only  ones  which  have 
proven  to  have  any  decided  effect  in  increasing  the  yield  of 
beets.  Nitrate  of  Soda,  being  easily  soluble,  has  proved 
most  satisfactory. 

The  Soil. 

The  most  profitable  use  of  this  material  will  probably 
be  on  soils  which  are  not  in  condition  to  produce  close  to 
the  maximum  tonnage  of  the  district. 


Topping  and  Weighing  Samples  of  Beets  in  Fertilizer  Experiment  Tests 
to  Determine  Per  cent  Tops. — Colorado  Experiment  Station. 

The  best  results  would  be  obtained  by  using  Nitrate 
of  Soda  along  with  a  light  coating  of  manure,  to  supply  the 
necessary  humus. 

The  Beet. 

No  injurious  effects  have  been  noticed  from  the  use 
of  moderate  amounts  of  Nitrate  of  Soda  or  manure  upon 


the  quality  of  the  beet.  A  strong,  thrifty  green  growth  is  Nitrate  of 
secured  from  the  time  plants  are  up,  the  difference  being  §°  ^r.gree 
marked  throughout  the  whole  season. 


Excessive  quantities  of  either  Nitrate  or  manure  35 
would  tend  to  lower  the  sugar  content  and  purity.  No  bad 
effects  from  the  use  of  Nitrate  upon  the  tilth  of  the  soil 
has  been  noticed. 

How  Used. 

The  most  rational  amounts  of  Nitrate  of  Soda  which 
can  be  used  on  Colorado  soils  is  probably  from  150  to  300 
pounds  per  acre.  The  larger  quantities  can  better  be  used 
on  poorer  soil.  After  screening  it  can  be  applied  by  broad- 
casting with  hand  or  machine  and  harrowed  in  before 
seeding. 

Drills  for  distribution  can  also  be  used,  or  by  attach- 
ment to  the  seed  drill  applied  with  the  seed  at  time  of 
seeding.  When  so  used  it  favors  strong  germination  of  the 
seed,  as  all  soluble  fertilizers  used  have  been  found  to  do. 

The  expense  of  application  by  broadcasting  will  be 
about  1  5  cents  per  acre. 

(Signed)   A.  H.  DANIELSON. 

1907. 


The  Use  of 
Nitrate  of  Soda  on  Sugar-Beets  in  Colorado. 


In  the  few  years  that  the  sugar-beet  industry  has  been 
established  in  Colorado,  we  have  found  that  our  con- 
ditions of  soil  and  climate  are  such  that  we  can  grow  better 
beets  and  more  of  them  than  any  other  State  in  the  Union. 
For  instance,  several  districts  of  several  thousand  acres  have 
been  able  to  report  averages  of  15  tons  and  more,  per  acre, 
with  sugar  at  16  to  18  per  cent.  This  is  more  than 
remarkable  when  it  is  considered  that  the  averages  include 
many  areas  that  made  only  one  to  two  tons  per  acre,  this 
poor  product  being  the  fault  of  the  farmer  more  than  the 
land.  The  industry  has  also  been  one  of  the  strong  factors 
which  have  caused  the  greatly  increased  value  of  good  farm 


of  lands  in  Colorado  and  the  cutting  up  of  the  land  into  smaller 
Sugar-Bee'ts  fracts-     And  no  wonder  !      The  writer  knows  of  several 
-  instances  where  the  price  of  the  land  at  more  than  $100 
per  acre  has  been  cleared  in  one  season. 

To  give  these  kinds  of  returns  the  land  must  be  in 
good  condition  from  previous  growing  of  alfalfa  on  the 
land  or  using  good  manures.  The  best  yields  are  obtained 
by  a  combination  of  both.  When  the  land  plays  out  by 
too  long  growing  of  sugar-beets  we  can,  of  course,  bring  it 
back  in  shape  again  by  alfalfa  in  a  few  years.  But  the 
trouble  is  that  it  takes  two  or  three  years  for  alfalfa  to 
become  well  established,  and  when  once  established  it 
hardly  pays  to  plow  it  up  right  away.  It  is  very  de- 
sirable, then,  that  the  land  be  kept  in  good  condition  for 
the  production  of  paying  crops  of  sugar-beets  as  long  as 
possible.  This  is  made  more  necessary  by  the  fact  also 
that  many  farmers  have  gone  into  debt  for  the  land  and 
want  to  pay  out  as  quickly  as  possible.  And  to  do  this 
there  is  no  surer  crop  than  the  sugar-beet  if  the  yield  can 
be  kept  up.  Alfalfa,  of  course,  will  make  the  land  as  good 
as  ever  again,  but  it  will  take  several  years  to  do  that. 
Good  manures  have  also  proved  to  have  wonderful  effects 
in  increasing  the  yield  of  our  soils.  But  this  fact  has 
also  been  discovered  by  others,  so  that  often  it  is  impossible 
to  get,  unless  the  farmer  is  in  shape  to  feed  cattle  or  sheep 
on  his  own  farm,  and  this  often  is  not  possible.  Even 
those  that  are  able  to  secure  a  quantity  of  manure,  often 
can  not  get  enough  to  cover  all  the  land  they  would  like 
to  put  in  beets.  Thus  the  farmer  is  often  "up  against  it" 
and  would  use  commercial  fertilizers  if  he  were  sure  what 
kind  would  do  any  good. 

What  Elements  a  Soil  Needs  to  Grow  Crops. 

Long  ago  science  found  out  that  only  three  or  four 
elements  in  the  soil  were  used  to  such  an  extent  by  crops 
that  it  would  ever  be  necessary  to  replace  them  to  keep 
the  soil  from  running  out.  Those  elements  are  Nitrogen, 
Potash,  Phosphoric  Acid  and  Lime.  Sometimes  one  or 
more  of  these  things  are  naturally  absent  in  the  soil,  or  may 
be  in  such  shape  that  plants  cannot  easily  use  it  or  get 
it.  When  such  is  the  case,  crops  are  increased  by  adding 


the  lacking  element  in  fertilizers ;  and  the  best  results  are  Nitrate  < 
obtained  if  this  element  in  the  fertilizer  is  in  such  chemical  0°J^  ^ 
combination  that  the  plants  can  easily  use  it. 


Nitrate  of 
Soda  for 
Sugar-Beets 


37 

Colorado  Soils. 

Chemical  analysis  has  shown  that  our  soils  contain 
more  than  enough  of  most  elements  to  grow  good  crops. 
Lime  is  present  in  such  large  quantities  that  there  would 
be  some  to  give  away.  The  only  things  which^are  apt  to 
be  short  in  our  soils  are  Nitrogen  and  humus.  Humus  is 
the  decayed  parts  of  animals  or  plants  and  when  there  is 
enough  of  it  in  the  soil  we  say  it  is  mellow,  which  means, 
usually,  rich.  Both  Nitrogen  and  humus  in  our  dry  climate 
are  used  up  pretty  fast.  Both  can  be  replaced  by  growing 
such  plants  as  alfalfa,  peas,  vetches  or  beans  or  by  manure. 
For  it  is  the  large  amount  of  Nitrogen  in  manures  which 
makes  it  chiefly  valuable,  but  without  these  it  takes  years 
to  grow  alfalfa  and  similar  crops. 

What  is  Best  for  Sugar- Beets? 

The  chemist  can  tell  us,  of  course,  what  is  in  our  soils, 
and  whether  there  is  enough  of  everything,  but  he  cannot 
so  easily  tell  us  whether  it  is  in  such  shape  that  the  plants 
can  make  the  best  use  of  it.  And,  moreover,  different  plants 
use  more  of  one  element  than  another.  When  it  comes  to 
finding  out  which  are  the  right  elements  to  use  on  sugar- 
beets  for  best  results,  or  in  what  form  such  elements  should 
be,  about  as  good  way  as  any  is  to  mix  them  with  the  soil 
where  beets- are  to  be  grown,  using  the  different  materials 
alone  and  in  all  possible  mixtures,  on  different  patches  ot 
land,  and  do  this  for  several  years  to  make  sure. 

The  writer  has  been  in  a  position  to  make  numerous 
experiments  on  the  effect  of  the  several  necessary  elements 
on  sugar-beets  from  different  sources  for  several  years,  and 
has  been  asked  to  give  briefly  the  results  and  the  best  way 
to  use  such  fertilizers. 

In  these  experiments  it  was  found  that  neither  potash 
or  phosphoric  acid  alone  or  together  had  any  decided  effect 
upon  the  sugar-beets  in  increasing  the  yield.  Not  enough 
even  to  pay  for  themselves.  Nitrogen,  however,  from  Nitrate 


Nitrate  of  of  soc[a  or  manures  gave  a  decided  profit  over  the  cost  of 
Su  *T  Beets  aPP^cati°n-  It  was  also  found  that  the  potash  and  phos- 
-  phoric  acid  from  the  commercial  fertilizers  had  a  strong 
tendency  to  neutralize  the  effect  of  Nitrate  of  Soda  upon 
the  yield,  when  all  were  used  together.  Nitrate  of  Soda 
was  chosen  as  the  source  of  Nitrogen,  because  the  Nitrogen 
in  it  is  the  form  that  it  is  easily  and  quickly  used  by 
plants  and  it  is  also  the  most  easily  soluble  of  all  and  most 
completely  available  of  all  forms,  so  that  it  diffuses 
throughout  the  soil  within  easy  reach  of  the  roots  of  plants. 
This  quality  is  especially  valuable  with  a  plant  like  the 
sugar-beet,  which  is  rather  weak  while  a  young  plant.  It 
is  in  the  early  part  of  the  season  that  energizing  of  growth, 
if  needed,  is  likely  to  be  the  most  effective,  for  it  is  at  this 
time  that  the  tonnage  is  made  in  the  case  of  the  sugar-beet. 

Where  and  How  to  Use  Nitrate  of  Soda. 

As  it  takes  from  eight  to  twelve  tons  of  sugar-beets 
per  acre  to  pay  the  expenses  of  growing  them,  no  land 
is  likely  to  be  planted  to  beets  which  will  give  less 
than  ten  tons,  and  twenty  tons  is  a  pretty  good  yield. 

As  nearly  everyone  can  get  a  little  manure,  and  our 
soils  need  humus  anyhow,  the  best  plan  is  generally  to  use 
Nitrate  with  a  light  coating  of  manure.  In  this  way  the 
maximum  effect  of  both  would  be  obtained.  But  it  must 
be  understood  that  no  fertilizers  will  take  the  place  of  poor 
preparation  of  the  soil  or  poor  care  of  the  crop.  The  land 
must  be  in  good  physical  condition  to  make  the  best  use  of 
the  plant  food  already,  in  it  or  to  be  added  to  it. 


Will  Nitrate  Injure 
the  Quality  of  the  Beet  or  the  Soil  ? 

Excessive  quantities  of  either  manures  or  Nitrate  ot 
Soda  are  not  recommended.  This  would  not  be  profitable 
anyhow,  because  the  large  quantities  of  either  would  not  pay 
for  themselves  in  the  increased  yield.  We  have  also  the 
advantage  of  irrigation,  by  the  proper  use  of  which  the 
quality  of  the  beet  can  be  influenced. 


Sugar-Beets 


39 


As  to  the  effect  of  the  Nitrate  of  Soda  upon  the  soil,  it  Nitrate  of 
might  be  argued   that    the   Nitrate    in    producing  a  large  Soda  for 
yield  would  use  up  so  much  of  the  other  ready  plant- foods 
that  there  would  be  none  left  for  the  next  crop.     Contrary 
effect,  however,  has  resulted  in  actual  practice.        In  our 
soils  we  have  ample  quantities  of  the  other  two  necessary 
elements  by  potash  and  phosphoric  acid  and  these  are  held 
in  reserve  and  are  constantly  being  made  available  or  set 
free  for  the  use  of  plants   through  the  chemical  action  in 
the  soil,  which  is  always  going  on. 


Topping  Beets. — Colorado  Experiment  Station. 

It  has  been  claimed  by  inexperienced  critics  also  that 
Nitrate  of  Soda  has  a  tendency  to  make  the  soil  more 
compact  or  less  easily  workable.  In  practice  it  is  difficult 
to  see  how  this  could  take  place  with  the  many  hoeings  and 
cultivations  the  beet  crop  is  bound  to  receive,  and,  in  fact, 
it  does  not  take  place.  But  if  both  causes  as  to  injurious 
effect  should  be  partly  true  it  would  be  set  aright  by  the 
rotations  with  grains,  alfalfa  or  other  crops,  which  is  finally 
inevitable  for  the  best  all-around  results  in  crop  production. 


Nitrate  of  How  Much  Nitrate  is  Best  to  Use. 

Soda  for 

Sugar-Beets  The   amount  of  Nitrate  which  is  most  profitable  to 

40  use  depends  upon  the  condition  of  the  soil,  and,  of  course, 
upon  the  pocketbook.  A  reasonable  quantity  will  be  from 
150  pounds  to  300  pounds  per  acre.  More  can  be  used 
to  advantage  upon  naturally  poorer  land  than  upon  the  more 
productive.  There  is  a  limit  to  the  most  profitable  amount 
to  use,  depending  upon  the  condition  of  the  land  itself.  A 
soil  will  not  produce  over  a  certain  limit  for  that  particular 
season,  no  matter  how  much  plant  food  is  present.  As 
much  as  580  pounds  has  been  used  on  rather  poor  land 
with  a  little  profit,  but  not  a  profit  in  proportion  to  the 
results  from  the  use  of  300  pounds. 


When  and  How  to  Use  Nitrate — 
Cost  of  Application. 

While  there  has  been  found  to  be  little  difference  in 
results  between  applying  all  the  intended  quantity  at  once 
before  or  at  the  time  of  seeding  and  the  same  quantity 
used  partly  at  the  time  of  application  and  the  balance  in  a 
couple  of  dressings  later  at  different  periods  during  the 
growing  season,  it  will  probably  be  best,  until  this  matter 
is  better  understood,  to  apply  the  Nitrate  in  two  portions, 
half  the  quantity  at  or  before  the  time  of  seeding  and  the 
balance  broadcasted  over  the  beets  after  they  are  well 
established,  before  the  first  hoeing  and  thinning. 

No  matter  in  what  manner  the  Nitrate  may  be  applied, 
the  lumps  must  be  broken  up  and  all  passed  through  a 
5^-inch  or  ^-inch  sieve  or  screen.  The  Nitrate  can  then 
be  broadcasted  just  before  the  last  harrowing  before  seeding. 
This  can  be  done  by  the  use  of  an  endgate  seed  or  fertilizer 
sower,  by  which  two  men  with  a  team  and  wagon  can  cover 
40  to  50  acres  per  day.  At  40  acres  a  day  and  $6.00  for 
man  and  team,  this  will  be  at  an  expense  of  1 5  cents  per 
acre.  The  labor  of  screening  and  resacking  should  not 
exceed  5  cents  per  hundred  pounds.  The  broadcasting  can 
also  be  done  by  means  of  a  fertilizer  distributor  made  for 
the  purpose,  something  after  the  manner  of  a  grain  drill. 
By  the  use  of  this  sower,  one  man  and  team  could  probably 


Cover  half  the  above  number  of  acres.  There  are  objections  Nitrate  of 

to   the   endgate  sower,   as  it   is  quite  difficult  to  sow  the  e°da  f °o 
r      ...  .  .     ,  Sugar-Beets 

fertilizer  evenly  in  a  wind. 

The  Nitrate  can  also  be  sown  at  the  same  time  as  the 
seed,  and  in  the  same  row,  by  the  use  of  a  fertilizer 
attachment  to  an  ordinary  drill.  Beet  drills  are  also 
manufactured  especially  for  this  purpose  with  two  hoppers 
or  boxes  to  contain  seed  and  fertilizer.  The  fertilizer  falls 
after  the  seed  from  a  separate  spout  or  tube  in  such  a  way 


Weighing  Samples  in  Nitrate  Experiments. — Colorado  Experiment  Station. 


that  the  seed  is  covered  by  a  layer  of  soil  and  the  fertilizer 
comes  on  top  of  this  layer  when  all  is  covered  by  the  soil. 
It  might  be  supposed  that  a  strong,  soluble  chemical 
sown  with  the  seed  in  this  way  would  injure  the  seed,  but, 
on  the  contrary,  it  has  been  found  that  this  favors  strong 
germination  of  the  seed.  The  Nitrate  is  so  soluble  that  in 
contact  with  the  moist  soil,  it  disappears  into  the  soil  in  a 
few  days,  before  the  beet  seed  is  ready  to  sprout. 


Nitrate  of  What  Returns  to  Expect. 

Soda  for 

Anyone  who  is  contemplating  using  fertilizers  on 
4*  sugar-beets  is  naturally  anxious  to  know  what  to  expect  in 
probable  returns.  It  may  be  stated  that  in  Official  ex- 
perimental work  covering  three  years,  and  also  in  practice, 
the  returns  due  to  Nitrate  of  Soda  in  quantities  mostly  of 
200  pounds  per  acre  and  less,  have  given  returns  in  value 
of  beets  over  the  total  cost  of  the  Nitrate  applied  only, 
estimated  at  $3.00  per  100  pounds,  ranging  from  about  $7.00 
to  $15.00  per  acre.  It  may  also  be  stated  that  the  use  of 
Nitrate  of  Soda  on  sugar-beets  in  Colorado  has  passed  the  ex- 
perimental stage,one  factory  district  alone  having  used  several 
hundred  tons  during  the  last  two  or  three  years  with  profit. 

The  best  time  and  method  of  application  of  Nitrate 
of  Soda  to  sugar-beets  under  Colorado  conditions,  the 
result  of  my  experiments  shows  that  all  the  Nitrate  can  be 
applied  at  the  time  of  planting  the  seed,  or  immediately 
before,  and  harrowed  into  the  soil. 

The  Nitrate  of  Soda  should  all  be  passed  through  a 
screen  of  %-  or  ^-inch  mesh  before  application,  and  can 
be  broadcasted  through  "endgate"  seeders  or  applied  with 
ordinary  grain  seed  drills  fitted  with  agitators  of  some  sort. 
I  sowed  the  Nitrate  with  an  ordinary  grain  drill  fitted  with 
a  revolving  rod,  carrying  cross-pieces  over  each  feed 
"  hole/'  and  seeded  the  beet  seed  immediately  afterward. 

Nitrate  of  Soda,  or  any  other  fertilizer,  can  also  be 
applied  by  an  attachment  to  the  ordinary  sugar-beet  seed  drill, 
although  in  the  case  of  Nitrate  of  Soda,  this  is  not  recom- 
mended, because  these  attachments  are  not  yet  fitted  with 
agitators  to  prevent  the  Nitrate  from  "  bridging."  Every 
sugar-beet  grower  understands  what  the  meaning  of  this  is. 

A.   H.   DANIELSON. 


Supplement  I.  Nitrate  of 

Soda  for 

Michigan  Agricultural  Experiment  Station,        Sugar-Beets 

Bulletin  179.  43 

Sugar- Beet  Investigations. 

By  J.  D.  Towar. 

Abstract. 


Coarse    manure     applied    some    two  «^,        . 

months  before  sowing  the  beets  resulted  in  „.  ,  . 

some  increased  yield  and  beets  of  a  normal    A     .      .  .     c 

c     }  Authorities  Say. 

percentage  or  sugar. 

Carefully  prepared  home  mixed  fertilizer  gave  higher 
yields  and  better  beets  than  stable  manure. 

Nitrate  of  Soda  in  combination  with  other  elements 
generally  increased  the  yield  with  a  normal  per  cent  of  sugar. 

But  in  every  case  Nitrate  of  Soda  gave  higher  yields  than 
sulfate  of  ammonia. 

Wood  ashes  and  salt  increased  the  yield  of  beets 
only  slightly. 

One  ton  of  air-slaked  lime  per  acre  increased  slightly 
the  yield  of  beets  on  the  uplands  without  affecting  the 
percentage  of  sugar. 

On  muck  land  one  ton  of  air-slaked  lime  per  acre  in 
combination  with  other  fertilizers  decreased  the  tonnage 
eleven  per  cent,  and  reduced  the  sugar  content  from  9.64 
to  7.68  per  cent.  When  lime  was  applied  alone  on  muck 
land,  increased  applications  increased  the  tonnage  of  beets, 
but  decreased  the  percentage  of  sugar. 

Early  planting  gave  larger  yields  and  slightly  higher 
percentage  of  sugar. 

Clay  loam  soil  produced  the  largest  tonnage  and  the 
highest  percentage  of  sugar,  followed  by  other  soils  in  the 
order  below,  except  that  the  tonnage  on  muck  is  next  to 
clay  loam;  sandy  loam,  sand  clay,  muck. 

Throughout  the  period  of  growth  there  was  a  slightly 
greater  development  of  leaf  on  the  plots  receiving  lime  than 
on  those  under  similar  treatment,  though  unlimed ;  while 
to  the  credit  of  Nitrate  of  Soda  was  earlier  germination 
and  a  decidedly  greater  development  of  the  plants  all  through  the 
first  half  of  the  season. 


Nitrate  of  Attention  is  called  in  the  following  table  to  the  effect 

r  of  Nitrate  of  Soda  as  compared  with  sulfate  of  ammonia, 


Sugar-Beets 


44 


as  a  fertilizer  for  sugar-beets. 


In  complete  fertilizer. 
Plots  5  and  7. 

In  complete  fertilizer, 
with  lime.     Plots  6 
and  8. 

Alone.     Plots  11 
and  12,. 

Yield 
pounds. 

Per  cent, 
sugar. 

Yield 
pounds. 

Per  cent, 
sugar. 

Yield 
pounds. 

Per  cent, 
sugar. 

Nitrate  of  Soda 

15,630 
15,000 

15.25 
15.10 

17,750 
14,630 

15.48 
15.78 

13,680 
13,620 

*5-34 
13.98 

Sulfate  of  Ammonia  .  .  . 

Gain  in  favor  of  Nitrate 
of  Soda     

630 

:  i 

.  1  5 

3,120 

—  •30 

60 

1.36 

The  yield  in  every  case  was  in  favor  of  Nitrate  of  Soda, 
while  the  varying  per  cents  of  sugar  leave  that  feature  of 
the  question  still  very  inconclusive. 

Comparing  plots  nine  and  ten  in  table  one,  page  95, 
we  find  that  Nitrate  of  Soda  produced  4,200  more  pounds 
of  beets  per  acre,  which  were  1.76  per  cent  richer  in  sugar, 
with  a  material  increase  in  the  co-efficient  of  purity. 

In  connection  with  the  College  Farm  soil  test  experi- 
ment a  comparison  of  ammonia  and  Nitrate  Nitrogen  was 
made.  The  soil  was  medium  loam  and  of  uniform  charac- 
ter, dissolved  phosphate  rock  and  muriate  of  potash  applied 
in  like  quantities  in  each  case. 


Yield,  pounds       Percent, 
per  acre.  sugar. 


Complete  Fertilizer, containing  Nitrate  Nitrogen  .  .    1 1 ,47 1 
Complete  Fertilizer,containing  Ammonia  Nitrogen     9,688 


15.22 

12.69 


Purity. 

81.9 
67.0 


In  favor  of  Nitrate  Nitrogen 


1,783        2.53        14.6 


Michigan  Experiments  on  Sugar-Beets  in  1901. 

(Extract  from   Michigan  Bulletin  197, 

Issued  1902.) 

A  field  was  planned  to  test  the  effect  of  excessive 
amounts  of  each  of  the  various  fertilizing  elements  in 
comparison  with  normal  applications  in  the  form  of  com- 
mercial and  home  mixed  fertilizers. 


A  standard  brand  of  commercial  fertilizers  was  selected  Nitrate  of 
and  a  mixture  equal  in  fertilizing  value  to  2CO  pounds  was  foda  f °r 

.  .7  °          /  r      TVT~  r     r,      /         SugEF-BeetS 

prepared.      T his   required  32  pounds    of    Nitrate  of  Soda,  - 
25  pounds  muriate  of  potash,  and  137  pounds  of  dissolved          45 
phosphate  rock.     The  six  plots  of  the  experiment  received 
applications  as  follows  : 

Plot  i. — Nothing. 

Plot  2. — 147  pounds  mixture  plus  24  pounds  Nitrate  of 
Soda. 

Plot  3. — 147  pounds  mixture  plus   103   pounds  dissolved 
phosphate  rock. 

Plot  4. — 147  pounds  mixture  plus  20  pounds  muriate  of 
potash. 

Plot  5. — 195  pounds  mixture. 

Plot  6. — 250  pounds  commercial  fertilizer. 

It  will  be  seen  by  the  above  that  Plots  2,  3  and  4 
received  but  three-fourths  of  the  mixture  as  applied  to  Plot 
5;  the  other  fourth  being  supplied  by  doubling  the  amount 
of  Nitrogen,  phosphoric  acid  and  potash  respectively. 

The  yields  of  beets,  percentage  of  sugar,  and  pounds 
of  sugar  per  acre  are  given  in  the  following  table : 

"Yield  Per  cent,  sugar  Sugar 

Plot.  Fertilizers.  per  acre,  in  beets.  per  acre. 

Pounds.  Pounds. 

1  Nothing 16,793  *5-98  2,709 

2  Excessive  Nitrogen 25,098  16.23  4,083 

3  Excessive  Phosphoric  Acid ....  22,843  1S>^S  3,621 

4  Excessive  Potash 21,817  J5'64  3>412 

5  Normal  Home  Mixture 18,900  J7-O4  3,220 

6  Commercial  Fertilizer 17,740  15.66  2,778 

These  figures  show  decidedly  in  favor  of  increasing 
the  Nitrogen  content  of  the  sugar-beet  fertilizers.  Not 
only  is  the  yield  of  beets  greater,  but  the  percentage  of  sugar  is 
higher  where  an  excessive  amount  of  Nitrate  of  Soda  is 
applied.  The  marked  difference  in  yield  of  sugar  from  the 
home  mixed  fertilizer  over  the  commercial  fertilizer  suggests 
the  possibility  of  Nitrate  Nitrogen  being  superior  to  the 
form  of  Nitrogen  found  in  the  commercial  fertilizer. 


Nitrate  of  While  no  experiment  comparing  in   equal  quantities 

S      r  B   °t    organic  Nitrate  and  ammonia  Nitrogen,  the  general  results 


so  far  favor  the  Nitrate. 

In  the  fertilizer  experiment  on  page  130,  the  Nitrogen 
in  the  commercial  fertilizer  analyzing  2.24  per  cent  ammo- 
nia was  undoubtedly  of  organic  origin.  The  results  from 
three  years'  experiments  show  a  yield  of  20  per  cent  more 
sugar  from  Nitrate  Nitrogen  than  from  the  commercial 
fertilizer  containing  dried  blood  or  some  other  organic 
Nitrogen. 

Nitrate  Nitrogen  vs.  Ammonia  Nitrogen. 

This  experiment  has  been  in  progress  for  three  years. 
The  results  recorded  on  following  page  are  from  experi- 
ments in  three  different  fields  of  the  College  Farm.  In 
every  case  the  potash  and  phosphoric  acid  applied  on  the 
compared  plots  were  identical.  The  quantity  of  Nitrate  of 
Soda  and  sulphate  ammonia  was  in  each  case  regulated 
according  to  the  ammonia  content  of  the  two  materials,  so 
calculated  that  the  same  quantity  of  Nitrogen  was  applied 
in  every  case  where  results  are  compared. 

The  following  is  a  fair  comparison  of  Nitrate  of  Soda 
and  sulphate  ammonia  as  a  source  of  Nitrogen  for  sugar- 
beets,  and  being  the  average  result  from  five  different 
experiments  conducted  for  three  years  in  succession,  and 
showing  a  yield  of  over  1  1  per  cent  more  sugar  from  the 
Nitrate  than  from  the  ammonia  presents  conclusive  evidence 
of  the  superiority  of  the  former. 


CHARACTER  OF  SOIL. 

NITRATE  NITROGEN. 

AMMONIA   NITROGEN. 

Yield 
per  acre. 

Per 

cent, 
sugar. 

Sugar 
per 
acre. 

Yield 
per  acre. 

Per 

cent, 
sugar. 

Sugar 
per 
acre. 

i    Light  sandy  

Pounds. 
20,408 
20,136 
16,479 
18,789 
I5»058 

12.45 

13-19 
14.09 

13-43 
13.29 

Pounds 
2,463 
2,656 

2,323 
2,524 
2,003 

Pounds. 

i9»387 
16,412 
15,899 
i5»572 
i3>9l6 

12.68 
12.44 
14.19 

13'19 
13.19 

Pounds. 

2,459 
2,041 
2,255 
2,176 
i,837 

2   Clay  loam 

3     Sandy  loam  (complete    fertilizer) 

4  Same  as  3  plus  (one  ton  lime) 
5    Sandy  loam  (as  single  elements) 

Average  sugar  per  acre  ,  . 

2,394 

2,154 

Ohio  Agricultural  Experiment  Station. 

Bulletin  No.   132. 

1902. 

Sugar- Beet  Investigations  in  1901. 

By  John  W.  Ames. 


Nitrate  of 
Soda  for 
Sugar-Beets 

47 


Fertilizer  Experiments  at  Neapolis,  Ohio. 

A  series  of  plots  containing  1-20  acre  each,  on  light 
sandy  soil  at  Neapolis,  were  treated  with  fertilizers  for  the 
purpose  of  showing  the  effect,  if  any,  of  phosphoric  acid, 

Table  VII  :    FERTILIZER  EXPERIMENTS  ON  BLACK  SAND  AT 

NEAPOLIS. 


"°  1 

1 

1 

i 

3  e 

o 

Z 

Fertilizer  Applied 

Date 

*:  B 

I; 

fe 

L 

t  "O 

a.  c 

x  3 
«  »• 

£ 

per  acre. 

Analyzed. 

If 

t-  B" 

3 
0. 

ll 

3 

IS, 

3  i 
"  S 

5> 

3 
to 

.a 

| 

£  - 
0  cL 

Oct.    2,    1901 

3*8 

"3*5 

88.2 

I 

None. 

"    15,    1901 

350 

14.9 

86.2 

«    29,    1901 

268 

16.6 

88.2 

8,700 



4>'44 

2 

Acid  phosphate, 
1  60  pounds. 

Oct.     2,    1901 
*'    15,     I9OI 
"    29,    1901 

217 

373 
237 

15.4 
15.8 
18.4 

88.5 
89.6 
87.2 

8,740 

260 

i,  608 

3 

Acid  phosphate, 
1  60  pounds. 
Potassium  sulfate, 
100  pounds. 

Oct.     2,    1901 
"    15,    1901 
<<    29,    1901 

279 

33° 
308 

11.7 
14.9 
15.8 

89.7 
90.0 
85.9 

13,560 

3.980 

2,142 

Oct.     2,    1901 

221 

14.2 

87.6 

4 

None. 

"    15,    1901 

I87 

14.4 

87.7 

"    29,    1901 

I9I 

15.2 

86.4 

9,360 



1,422 

Acid  phosphate, 

5 

1  60  pounds. 

Nitrate  of  Soda* 
1  60  pounds. 

Potassium  sulfate, 

Oct.    2,    1901 
"    15,    1901 
"    29,    1901 

327 
162 

15.0 

'3-9 
16.6 

89.8 
84.9 
84.3 

17,100 

8,070 

2,838 

100  pounds. 

Nitrogen  applied  in  form  of  Nitrate  of  Sodi 


Nitrate  of  potash  and  Nitrogen  on  the  quality  of  beets  and  yield  per 

Soda  for  acre<  Acid  phosphate,  potassium  sulfate,  potassium  chlorid, 

Sugar-Beets  Ar.               r  c.   j            ^                 j    i                                                           j 

_  Nitrate  of  boday  tankage  and  barnyard  manure  were  used 

as  carriers  of  the  phosphoric  acid,  potash  and  Nitrogen. 
The  same  variety  of  seed,  Original  Kleinwanzlebener,  was 
planted  on  all  the  plots. 

Results  on  Black  Sand. 

More  satisfactory  results  were  obtained  from  the  ferti- 
lizer tests  on  black  sand,  the  increase  of  yield  of  the 
fertilized  plots  over  the  unfertilized  being  very  decided.  The 
test  included  a  series  of  five  plots,  the  first  and  fourth 
being  left  unfertilized.  The  results  shown  in  Table  VII, 
page  72,  set  forth  the  interesting  facts  that  acid  phosphate 
alone  increased  the  yield  260  pounds  to  the  acre ;  the  com- 
bination of  phosphoric  acid  and  potash  shows  better  results, 
by  increasing  the  yield  3,980  pounds  per  acre;  the  combi- 
nation of  phosphoric  acid,  potash  and  Nitrogen  shows  the 
best  results,  giving  an  increase  of  8,070  pounds  per  acre. 


Nebraska  Agricultural  Experiment  Station. 
Extract  from  Bulletin  No.  73. 


Table  IV.— EFFECT  OF  EACH  CLASS  OF  FERTILIZERS. 

Yield              Sugar  Purity 

FERTILIZERS.                                                                   per  acre  in  juice  of  juice 

in  tons.  percent.  percent. 

Plots  having  potash 1 1 . 6  12.7  81.4 

Plots  having  Nitrate 11.7  13.0  81.8 

Plots  having  phosphate 11.7  12.7  81.2 

Plots  not  fertilized : 1 1 .  i  12.6  81.3 


The  Progress  of  the  Beet  Sugar  Industry  Nitrate  of 

.  Soda  for 

in   America.  Sugar-Beets 

From  Report  No.  80,  49 

U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture. 

Page  i75> 


The  work  of  Professor  C.  O.  Townsend,  of  the 
Bureau  of  Plant  Industry  of  the  United  States  Department 
of  Agriculture,  which  has  recently  been  published  in 
Secretary  Wilson's  Report  for  the  United  States  Depart- 
ment of  Agriculture,  concerning  the  use  of  Nitrate  of  Soda 
on  sugar-beets  is  of  great  interest  and  is  as  follows  : 

"  Nitrate  of  Soda  has  a  decided  effect  in  increasing  the  value  of  beets 
per  acre.  This  experiment  has  been  repeated  several  times  with  similar 
results  under  varying  conditions.  It  seems,  therefore,  that  Nitrate  of  Soda 
is  beneficial  as  a  fertilizer  for  sugar-beets  under  ordinary  circumstances.  A 
little  better  results  were  obtained  by  putting  the  Nitrate  on  in  two  applica- 
tions, as  shown  in  plat  4,  although  when  300  pounds  of  Nitrate  were  applied 
at  one  time  the  results  were  almost  as  good.  The  cost  of  the  300  pounds 
of  Nitrate,  including  its  application,  was  approximately  $9.00,  so  that  in  all 
cases  where  Nitrate  was  used  a  decided  financial  gain  resulted.  It  should  be 
noted,  also,  that  the  Nitrate  did  not  apparently  affect  the  sugar  content  nor 
the  purity  of  the  beets.  In  a  few  cases  where  larger  quantities  of  Nitrate 
were  used  the  results  were  not  appreciably  better  than  when  only  300  pounds 
per  acre  were  applied.  Whether  or  not  this  is  a  general  rule  can  be  deter- 
mined only  by  repeated  experiments." 

The  great  and  growing  interest  now  N. .  tc    , 

p        1-         r     •  •      i_  •  Nitrate  of  Soda 

taken  in  the  subject  or  raising  beet  sugar  in  c      c          D 

,  .  i  rxr-  c  for  Sugar-Beets. 

this  country  makes   the  use   or  Nitrate  or 

Soda  on  this  crop  of  special  interest,  for  it  is  only  by  the  judi- 
cious use  of  this  fertilizer  that  we  can  hope  to  compete  with 
the  best  growers  of  Europe  who  have  long  profited  by  its  use. 

Nitrate  should  be  used  only  in  connection  with  super- 
phosphate and  potash,  and  should  be  applied  early  in  the 
growth  of  the  beet — as  soon  after  they  come  up  the  better; 
200  to  300  pounds  of  Nitrate  per  acre  is  about  the  quantity 
that  should  be  used.  About  300  pounds  of  superphosphate 
and  100  pounds  of  sulphate  of  potash  should  be  applied 
per  acre  before  sowing  the  seed. 

J.  E.  W.  Tracy,  of  the  Bureau  of  Plant  Industry  of  the 
U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture,  says  in  Farmers'  Bulle- 
tin No.  251  : 


Nitrate  of  "It  is  absolutely  essential  to  success  that  we  secure  the  best  quality  of 

Soda  for  seed,  and  past  experience  has  conclusively  shown  that  we  cannot  depend 
Sugar-Beets  upon  doing  so  from  abroad.  We  must  raise  it  ourselves,  and  in  such  a  care- 
ful, scientific  manner  that  it  will  not  only  be  of  the  best  quality,  but  will 
have  such  characteristics  as  will  make  it  adapted  to  the  particular  needs  and 
requirements  of  the  locality  where  it  is  to  be  sown.  Seed  raised  on  a  particular 
soil  and  under  certain  climatic  conditions  may  not  be  best  suited  for  planting 
in  like  soils  and  under  similar  climatic  conditions  ;  in  fact,  very  often  it  is 
not.  Seed  from  comparatively  poor  soil  may  do  best  on  rich  soil,  or  that 
raised  in  the  East  may  do  best  when  sown  in  the  West.  Only  study  and 
personal  experience  on  the  part  of  each  factory  manager  can  determine  what 
seed  is  best  suited  for  the  conditions  in  his  region." 


Fertilizers  for  the  Sugar- Beet. 

"  Professor  Schneidewind,  the  German  beet  expert,  has  made 
extensive  experiments  with  fertilizers  for  beets  and  he  has  come  to  the  con- 
clusion that  the  views  of  the  different  experts  in  regard  to  the  value  of  these 
fertilizers  which  are  best  suited  to  beets  can  never  be  considered  as  correct, 
because  the  plant  foods  at  the  disposal  of  the  root  have  a  very  different  effect 
in  different  surroundings,  and  that  it  must  remain  largely  for  the  individual 
farmer  to  give  each  suggestion  a  fair  trial  and  then  draw  his  own  conclusions. 
The  experiments  by  Schneidewind  show  that  a  surface  application,  Top- 
Dressing,  of  Nitrate  of  Soda  (saltpeter)  is  better  suited  to  beets  than  any  other 
form  of  nitric  fertilizer,  and  very  much  more  satisfactory.'* 

— From  The  American  Sugar  Industry,  1906. 


Nitrate  of  Soda  as  a  Fertilizer  for  Beets. 

Mr.  E.  S.  Bumstead,  President  of  the  State  Beet 
Growers'  Association,  of  Colorado,  has  stated  that  "At  Sugar 
City,  near  Rocky  Ford,  beet  growers  began  using  Nitrate 
of  Soda  as  a  fertilizer  three  years  ago.  'This  was  obtained 
from  Chili,  South  America,  and  the  very  first  experiment 
therewith  proved  so  beneficial  that  it  has  been  in  use  ever  since. 

"  'Two  hundred  and  thirty-five  tons  were  tried  first.  The 
indications  were  from  the  outset  that  just  the  right  thing  had 
been  discovered,  and  my  opinion  is  that  this  will  eventually 
become  a  great  commercial  article.  It  is  reliably  told  me  that 
100  pounds  of  the  soda  will  increase  beet  tonnage  from  2  ^  to 
j*/2  tons  per  acre. 

"  With  this  in  view,  it  can  be  readily  seen  that  such  a 
fertilizer  is  not  only  practical,  but  quite  profitable.  This  is 
another  case  in  which  science  is  aiding  nature,  but  science 
must  be  good  for  something." 


Experiments  with  Nitrate  of  Soda. 


SUGAR  BEETS. 


Nitrate  of 
Soda  for 
Sugar-Beets 

51 


No  Phosphoric  Acid       Potash  *..d 

Fert  i lizcr  and  Potash  ^  or  Nitrate 

F>s    Or  Paul  \Vaoner 


Experiments  with  Nitrate  of  Soda 

SUGAR    BEETS. 

FertiFr/ed  with  Phosphoric  Acid,  Potash 


H  oz.  Nitrate.          ^ol  Nitrate  3Az;  Nitrad 

From  150  to  300  Ibs.  Nitrate  of  Soda  per  acre  islpplied  i 

one*  or  more  dress IHL>^.  1U'  Oi:  IVuil  W;HMH 


In  the  experiments  with  sugar-beets,  it  will  be  noticed 
that  the  addition  of  a  ration  of  phosphoric  acid  and  potash 
to  the  soil,  without  Nitrate,  actually  reduced  the  yield  of 
sugar-beets.  Then  as  the  quantity  of  Nitrate  was  increased, 
the  yield  of  sugar-beets  was  correspondingly  increased. 


Nitrate  of 

Soda  for 

Sugar-Beets 


Table  Showing  Prices  of  Nitrate  of  Soda          Nitrate  of 

Soda  for 

on  the  Ammoniate  Basis.  Sugar-Beets 

Figured  on  Basis  of  380  Pounds  Ammonia  in  One 
Ton  of  Nitrate  of  Soda. 


Equivalent 

Cost 

Equivalent 

Cost  per 

Cost 

Cost  per 

Ammonia 

Cost  of 

Cwt.  of 

Ammonia 

ton  of 

per  Ib.  as 

Nitrogen 

Nitrate. 

per  Ton  unit. 

Nitrate. 

Nitrate. 

perlb- 

$2.00 

$2.10 

$40.00 

$0.105 

$0.128 

2.05 

2.16 

41.00 

0.108 

0.131 

2.10 

2.21 

42.00 

0.111 

0.134 

2.15 

2.26 

43.00 

0.113 

0.137 

220 

2.31 

44  00 

0.116 

0.140 

2.25 

2.37 

45.00 

0.118 

0.144 

2.30 

2.42 

46.00 

0.121 

0.147 

235 

2.47 

47.00 

0.124 

0.150 

2.40 

2.53 

48.00 

0.126 

0.153 

245 

258 

49.00 

0.129 

0.156 

2  50 

2.63 

50.00 

0.132 

0.159 

2.55 

2.68 

51.00 

0.134 

0.162 

2.60 

2.73 

52.00 

0.137 

0.165 

2.65 

2.78 

53.00 

0.140 

0.168 

2.70 

2.83 

54.00 

0.143 

0.171 

2.75 

2.88 

55.00 

0.146 

0.174 

2.80 

2.93 

56.00 

0.149 

0.177 

2.85 

2.98 

57.00 

0.152 

0  180 

2.90 

3.03 

58.00 

0.155 

0.183 

2.95 

3.08 

59.00 

0.158 

0.186 

3.00 

3.13 

60.00 

0.160 

0.189 

This  table  enables  one  to  compare  commercial  quota- 
tions on  ammoniates  with  accuracy.  The  figures  themselves 
are  not  quotations  in  any  sense  of  the  word,  and  ail  the 
figures  of  the  table  refer  only  to  one  grade  of  Nitrate  of 
Soda,  namely:  that  containing  15.65  per  cent,  of  Nitrogen, 
equivalent  to  19.00  per  cent,  of  ammonia.  It  is  prepared 
merely  in  order  that  purchasers  may  compare  the  price  of 
Nitrate  of  Soda,  which  is  always  quoted  by  the  hundred 
pounds,  with  other  ammoniates,  which  are  quoted  by 
the  ton  unit.  In  the  first  column,  therefore,  are  given  the 
prices  per  hundred  weight  of  Nitrate  of  Soda ;  in  the  second 


Nitrate  of  column,  the  equivalent  price  of  the  ammonia  per  ton  unit; 
Soda  for  jn  fae  third  column,  the  corresponding  prices  per  ton ;  in  the 
fourth  column,  the  cost  of  the  contained  ammonia  per 
54  pound,  a  figure  which  is  always  discussed,  but  almost  never 
explained  in  Station  Bulletins,  and  in  the  fifth  column 
are  given  the  corresponding  prices  of  the  cost  of  the  Nitro- 
gen per  pound,  a  figure  also  much  discussed,  but  not  always 
explained  in  Bulletins.  The  important  figures  to  remember 
are  the  price  per  hundred  weight,  the  price  per  ton  and  the 
equivalent  price  of  the  ammonia  in  the  Nitrate  per  ton  unit. 
The  table  is  prepared  to  cover  fluctuations  in  price  running 
from  two  dollars  per  hundred,  to  three  dollars  per  hundred; 
or  from  forty  dollars  to  sixty  dollars  per  ton. 

Increased  Yield  per  Acre  of  Crops  receiving  Nitrate 

at  the  rate  of  100  pounds  to  the  Acre 

over  those  receiving  none. 

Barley          .  .          .  .          400  pounds  of  grain. 

Corn  .          .          .          .          .          .          280  pounds  of  grain. 

Oats  ......          400  pounds  of  grain. 

Rye    .          .          .          .          .          .          .          300  pounds  of  grain. 

Wheat          .          .          .  .          .          300  pounds  of  grain. 

Potatoes       .  .          .          .          .     3,600  pounds  of  tubers. 

Hay    .          .  .          .          .  1,000  pounds,  barn-cured. 

Cotton         .          .          .  •        .          .  •        .500  pounds  seed-cotton. 
Sugar-Beets  .          .          .          .          .     4,000  pounds  of  tubers. 

Beets  ......     4,000  pounds  of  tubers. 

Sweet  Potatoes     .          .          ...          .     3,900  pounds  of  tubers. 

Cabbages     .          .          .          .          .          .          .  6,100  pounds. 

Carrots        .          .          .          .          .  .  7,800  pounds. 

Onions        .          .          .'        ...       ...          •  1,800  pounds. 

Turnips       .          .          ...          .          .          .     37  per  cent. 

Strawberries          . 200  quarts. 

Asparagus    .          .          .          .          .          •          .  100  bunches. 

Tomatoes 100  baskets. 

Celery         V  30  per  cent. 


General  Directions  for  Nitrate  of 

Soda  for 

the  Use  of  Nitrate  of  Soda  on  Staple  Crops.       sugar-Beets 

The  use  of  Nitrate  of  Soda  alone  is  never  recommended,  55 
except  at  the  rate  of  not  more  than  one  hundred  pounds  to 
the  acre.  It  may  be  thus  safely  and  profitably  used  without 
other  fertilizers.  It  may  be  applied  at  this  rate  as  a  .Top- 
Dressing  in  the  Spring  of  the  year,  as  soon  as  vegetation  be- 
gins to  turn  green;  or,  in  other  words,  as  soon  as  the  crops 
begin  new  growth.  At  this  rate  very  satisfactory  results  are 
usually  obtained  without  the  use  of  any  other  fertilizer,  and 
the  Soda  residual,  after  the  Nitrogenous  Ammoniate  Food 
of  this  chemical  is  used  up  by  the  plant,  has  a  perceptible 
effect  in  sweetening  sour  land. 

In  most  of  our  Grass  experiments  where  Nitrate  was 
used  alone  at  the  rate  of  but  One  Hundred  Pounds  per  acre, 
not  only  was  the  Aftermath,  or  Rowen,  much  improved,  but 
in  the  subsequent  seasons,  with  nothing  applied  to  the  plots, 
a  decidedly  marked  effect  was  noticed,  even  on  old  meadows. 
This  speaks  very  well  indeed  for  Nitrate  of  Soda  not  leaching 
out  of  the  soil.  The  readily  soluble  elements  are  the  readily 
available  elements.  The  natural  capillarity  of  soils  doubtless 
is,  in  most  instances,  a  powerful  factor  in  retaining  all  readily 
soluble  elements  of  fertility. 

If  this  were  not  so,  all  the  fertility  of  the  world  in  our 
humid  regions  would,  in  a  season  or  two,  run  into  the  ocean, 
and  be  permanently  lost. 

This  is  mentioned  on  account  of  certain  critics  having 
taken  the  trouble  to  object  to  the  use  of  Nitrate  on  the 
grounds  that  it  would  leach  away.  A  case  is  yet  to  be  seen 
where  the  after-effect  of  Nitrate  is  not  distinguishable,  and, 
in  certain  cases,  such  effects  have  been  most  marked. 

When  it  is  desired  to  use  a  larger  amount  than  one 
hundred  pounds  per  acre  of  Nitrate  of  Soda  as  a  Top- 
Dressing,  or  in  any  other  way,  there  should  be  present  some 
form  of  Phosphatic  and  Potassic  Plant  Food,  and  we  recom- 
mend not  less  than  two  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  of  either 
Acid  Phosphate  or  fine  ground  Raw  Rock,  and  two  hundred 
and  fifty  pounds  of  some  high-grade  Potash  Salt,  preferably 
the  Sulphate,  or  wood  ashes  in  twice  this  quantity.  A  much 
larger  amount  than  one  hundred  pounds  of  Nitrate  per  acre, 
when  used  alone  on  staple  crops,  is  generally  sure  to  give  an 


Nitrate  of  unprofitable  and  unbalanced  food  ration  to  the  plant.      For 
Soda  for  Market  Gardening  Crops,  Hops  or  Sugar-Beets,  however, 

somewhat  more  may  be  used  alone. 

56  When  the  above  amounts  of  Phosphatic  and  Potassic 

Fertilizers  are  used,  as  much  as  three  hundred  pounds  of 
Nitrate  of  Soda  may  be  applied  with  profit.  In  applying 
Nitrate  in  any  ration  it  is  desirable  to  mix  it  with  an  equal 
quantity  of  land  plaster  or  fine,  dry  loam  or  sand. 

If  you  have  any  reason  to  suspect  adulteration  of  the 
Nitrate  you  may  buy,  send  several  pounds  of  it  to  your 
Experiment  Station  for  analysis,  giving  date  of  purchase,  full 
name  and  address  of  agent,  and  of  the  Company  which  the 
seller  represents. 

Generally  on  the  Pacific  Coast  Nitrate  may  be  applied 
as  a  Top-Dressing  after  the  heavy  Spring  rains  are  over,  but 
before  crops  attain  much  of  a  start. 


Index. 

PAGE 

Acid  Phosphate, 15 

Almost  all  Kinds  of  Soil  Suitable  for  Sugar-Beets, .,  .  26 

"  American  Sugar  Industry,  1906," 50 

Ammonia,  Beets  Need, 21 

Ammoniates,  All  Converted  into  Nitrates,  22 

Amount  of  Nitrate  to  be  Used  Depends  Upon  the  Soil,. 22 

Arizona  Experiment  Station,  Bulletin  No.  51,  Illus., 6 

Average  Yield  per  Acre  in  Colorado, 30 

Beet  Drills, .  .  . 12 

Beets  Need  Ammoniates, 21 

Beets  Require  Deeper  Tilth, ,  10 

Beet,  The, 34 

Beet,  The  Leaf  or  Top, 33 

Beet  Soil, 7 

Best  Use  of  Nitrogen  Requires  an  Abundance  of  Phosphoric  Acid  in 

the  Soil, 15 

Best  Time  and  Method  to  Apply  Nitrate, 42 

Broadcasting, 35 

California  Experiment  Station,  Bulletin  No.  176,  Illus., 27 

Clay  Loam  Soil, 43,  46 

Climate, 7 

Cold  Soils, 10 

Cold  the  Greatest  Enemy, 9 

Colorado  Agricultural  Experiment  Station,  Abstract  from  Bulletin 

No.  115,  by  A.  H.  Danielson, 30 

Colorado  Soils, 37 

Comparison  of  Nitrate  Nitrogen  and  Ammonia  Nitrogen, 46 

Comparison  of  Plots,  47 

Condition  of  the  Land, 38 

Cost  of  Application, 30 

Cultivation,  Deep, 10 

Deep  Cultivation  and  Thorough  Weeding, 10,  13 

Desirable  Types  of  Sugar-Beets,  Illus., 18 

Drainage, 9 

Drainage,  Good,  a  Necessity, 26 

Drills, 35 

Early  Planting, 43 

Elements  the  Soil  Needs  to  Grow  Crops, 36 

Effect  of  Nitrate  of  Soda  Upon  the  Soil 39 

Effect  of  Nitrogenous  Fertilizers  on  Sugar-Beets, 29 

Equality  of  Yields, 12 

Excessive  Quantities  not  Recommended, 38 

Farmers'  Bulletin  No.  251,  J.  E.  W.  Tracy,  Bureau  of  Plant  Industry, 

United  States  Department  of  Agriculture, 49 

Farm-yard  Manure,  Kinds  to  Use, .  .  28 

Fertilizer  Experiments  at  Neapolis,  Ohio, 47 

Fertilizer  for  Sugar-Beets, 5° 

Fifth  Requisite  is  Deep  Cultivation, I  o 


PAGE 

First  Requisite  is  Suitable  Climate, 7 

Formula  for  Sugar-Beets, 25 

Functions  of  Nitrate  of  Soda  in  Sugar-Beet  Growing, 5 

General  Directions  for  Staple  Crops, 54 

Heavy  Clay  Soils, 8 

Home  Mixed  Fertilizers, 43 

How  Much  Nitrate  is  Best  to  be  Used, 40 

How  Other  Ammoniates  Act, 23 

How  to  Apply  Nitrate, 29 

How  to  Select  Varieties, 1 6 

Importance  of  Weeding, 13 

Intensive  Use  of  Nitrate  of  Soda, 21 

Introduction, 5 

Illustrations, 6,  n,  17,  18,  27,  28,  32,  34,  39,  41,  51,  52 

Judicious  Drainage, 9 

Land,  Condition  of, 36 

Large  Losses  of  Ammonia  when  Ordinary  Ammoniates  Are  Used,  .  .  22,  29 
Lecture,  Extracts  from,  Delivered  by  Dr.  Maercker,  Government  Privy 

Councillor,    German    Agricultural   Association,   on    the  Profitable 

Cultivation   of   the   Sugar-Beet  and    Other  Crops  by  the  Use  of 

Nitrate  of  Soda, 5 

Lime  in  the  Soil,  a  Requisite, 9 

Lime  to  Modify  Clay  Soils, 8 

Lime,  Use  of, 8 

Maturing  of  Beets, 33 

Map  Showing  Temperature  Zone  in  Which  the  Sugar-Beet  Attains  its 

Greatest  Perfection, 52 

Michigan  Bulletin  No.  1 97, 44 

Michigan  Agricultural  Experiment  Station,  Bulletin  No.  179, 43 

More  Liberal  Use  of  Fertilizers, 12 

Nebraska  Agricultural  Experiment  Station,  Extract  from  Bulletin 

No.  73, 48 

Necessary  Outlay, 1 1 ,  12 

Nitrate  Indispensable, 23 

Nitrate  of  Soda, 5,  21,  23,  29,  33 

Nitrate  Nitrogen  vs.  Ammonia  Nitrogen, 46 

Nitrate  of  Soda  as  a  Fertilizer  for  Beets,  by  E.  S.  Bumstead,  President 

of  State  Beet  Growers'  Association, 50 

Nitrate  Used  With  Judgment, 20 

Nitrate  the  Most  Suitable, 19 

Nitrogen  of  Nitrate  of  Soda  Most  Effective, 19,  39 

Nitrogenous  Food  Necessary, 21 

Ohio  Experiment  Station,  Bulletin  No.  132,  Sugar-Beet  Investigations, 

by  John  W.  Ames, 47 

Phosphoric  Acid, 14 

Practical  Suggestions, 34 

Price  of  Beet  Tops,  33 

Profitable  Cultivation  of  Sugar-Beets, .  . 5 

Progress  of  the  Beet  Sugar  Industry,  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture,  49 

Residual  Effects  of  Manures  and  Fertilizers, 33 


PAGE 

Results  (Colorado  Station), 30 

Results  on  Black  Sand, 48 

Results  of  Three  Years'  Experiments  in  Michigan, 44 

Returns  on  Beets,  42 

Right  Use  of  Hoe, 13 

Root  System  of  Sugar-Beets,  Illus., 1 1 

Row  Irrigation  of  Sugar-Beets,  California  Experiment  Station,  Bulletin 

No.  176, 28 

Second  Requisite, 7 

Showing  Root  System  of  Sugar-Beets  and  Great  Extent  of  Feeding, 

California  Experiment  Station,  Bulletin  No.  176, 27 

Soils  Hungry  for  Nitrogen, 24 

Soils  Suitable  for  Cultivation, 7 

Sub-Soil, 8 

Sugar-Beets  for  Profit, 26 

Sugar-Beet  Investigation  by  J.  D.  Towar, .  .  43 

Sugar-Beet  Investigations, 47 

Sugar-Beets  Must  be  Ripe, 21 

Summary, 26 

Table  of  Fertilizer  Experiments  on  Black  Sand  at  Neapolis,  Ohio, ....  47 

Table  of  Nitrate  of  Soda  as  Compared  with  Sulphate  of  Ammonia,  .  .  44 

Table  Showing  Prices  of  Nitrate  of  Soda  on  the  Ammoniate  Basis, ....  53 
Table  of  Yields  of  Beets,  Percentage  of  Sugar  and  Pounds  of  Sugar 

per  Acre, 46 

The  Beet, 34 

The  Beet,  and  Leaf  or  Top, 33 

The  Progress  of  the  Beet  Sugar  Industry  in  America,  from  Report 

No.  80,  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture,  Page  175, ...  49 

Third  Requisite, 8 

Time  and  Method  of  Application, 29 

Topping  Beets,  Illus., 39 

Types  of  Soil  Not  Restricted, 8 

Undesirable  Types  of  Sugar-Beets,  Illus., 17 

Use  of  Drill  and  Hoe, 12 

Use  of  Farm-yard  Manure, 19 

Use  of  Nitrate  of  Soda  on  Sugar-Beets  in  Colorado, 35 

Use  of  Sieve  or  Screen  for  Breaking  Lumps, 42 

Varieties,  How  to  Select, 1 6 

Varying  Types  of  Sugar-Beets,  Illus.,  32 

Warm  Soil'  Best, 26 

Weighing  Samples  in  Nitrate  Experiments,  Illus., 41 

What  Elements  a  Soil  Needs  to  Grow  Crops, 36 

What  is  Best  for  Sugar-Beets, 37 

What  Returns  to  Expect, 42 

What  the  Michigan  Authorities  Say, 43 

When  and  How  to  Use  Nitrate, 38 

Where  and  How  to  Use  Nitrate, 38 

Will  Nitrate  Injure  the  Quality  of  the  Beet  or  Soil, 38 

Without  Nitrate  the  Profitable  Cultivation  Cannot  be  Carried  On.  ...  23 

Yields  from  Plots,  1/20  of  an  Acre, , 47 


°>:  £       v  :' v^  i 

».    <      .   .- 

T  •  -  -"-'    -     ' 

$0*J 


X^>|OMMUNICATIONS  received  from  farmers  and 
prospective  consumers  interested    in   the  use   of 

^^-**  Nitrate  of  Soda,  who  are  unable  to  secure  it  in 
their  immediate  vicinity,  will  be  referred  to  reliable  dealers 
who  will  furnish  them  with  this  special  fertilizer*  Formulas 
and  valuable  information  sent  free* 

Below  will  be  found  a  list  of  pamphlets  relating  to 
the  use  of  Nitrate  of  Soda  as  a  fertilizer,  which  will  be 
furnished  gratis  to  persons  desiring  information  upon  any 
of  the  subjects  named* 


Cultivation  of  Citrus  Fruits. 

*  Field  Experiments  on  Market  Garden  Crops. 
Food  for  Plants. 

*  Notes  on  Four  Years'  Experiments. 
Sugar-Beets  for  Profit. 

Olive  Culture. 

*  Market  Gardening  with  Nitrate. 
The  Cultivation  of  the  Sugar  Cane. 
The  Cultivation  of  Tobacco. 

The  Cultivation  of  Cotton. 

Coffee  Planting. 

Grass  Growing  for  Profit. 

*  Included  in  "  Food  for  Plants." 


WILLIAM  S.  MYERS,  F.  C.  S.,  Director 

Nitrate  Propaganda 

John  Street  and  71  Nassau,  New  York 


THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  LAST  DATE 
STAMPED  BELOW 


AN  INITIAL  FINE  OF  25  CENTS 

WILL  BE  ASSESSED  FOR  FAILURE  TO  RETURN 
THIS  BOOK  ON  THE  DATE  DUE.  THE  PENALTY 
WILL  INCREASE  TO  SO  CENTS  ON  THE  FOURTH 
DAY  AND  TO  $1.OO  ON  THE  SEVENTH  DAY 
OVERDUE. 


DEC     2    1936 


LD  21-100m-8,'34 


DU 


274380 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


